Weißklee

Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen Agroforestry Services: Understory legume Fodder: Pasture Global Crop Management: Fodder Management: Hay Staple Crop: Protein Landscape Uses: Ground cover. Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun, preferring a sweet calcareous clay soil. Succeeds in poor soils. A very important food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species it is also a good bee plant. A good companion plant in the lawn, tolerating trampling, but it dislikes growing with henbane or members of the buttercup family. It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better. It should not be grown with camellias or gooseberries because it harbours a mite that can cause fruit drop in the gooseberries and premature budding in the camellias. Polymorphic, there are many subspecies and varieties. Some varieties have also been selected for use in lawn mixes. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate. Special Features:Not North American native, Invasive. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 8 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a clumper with limited spread [1-2]. The root pattern is stoloniferous rooting from creeping stems above the ground [1-2].

Edible Parts: Flowers Leaves Root Edible Uses: Condiment Tea Leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb. The young leaves are harvested before the plant comes into flower and are used in salads, soups etc. They can also be used as a vegetable, cooked like spinach. The leaves are best cooked. Flowers and seed pods are dried, ground into powder and used as a flour or sprinkled on cooked foods such as boiled rice. Very wholesome and nutritious. The young flowers can also be used in salads. Root - cooked. The dried leaves impart a vanilla flavour to cakes etc. Dried flowering heads are a tea substitute.

Fodder Green manure The plant makes a good green manure, it is useful for over-wintering, especially in a mixture with Lolium perenne. Produces a good bulk. It is a host to 'clover rot' however, so should not be used too frequently. It can be undersown with cereals or with tomatoes in a greenhouse (sow the seed before planting the tomatoes). Fairly deep rooting but not very fast growing. A good fast ground-cover plant for a sunny position. Nectary. A dynamic accumulator gathering minerals or nutrients from the soil and storing them in a more bioavailable form - used as fertilizer or to improve mulch.

Heimisch: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Altay, Aurland, Aurskog, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, East Himalaya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Etnedal, Finland, Forsand, France, Føroyar, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hadsel, Hurdal, Jølster, Norway, Selbu, Sortland, Stjørna, Strandeb, Sunndal, Trysil, Tustna, Vestlandet, Ørsta Eingeführt: Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Aleutian Is., Amsterdam-St.Paul Is., Amur, Antipodean Is., Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Arizona, Arkansas, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil South, British Columbia, California, Canary Is., Cape Provinces, Chatham Is., Chile Central, Chile North, Chita, Colombia, Colorado, Costa Rica, Crozet Is., Cuba, Delaware, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Easter Is., Ecuador, El Salvador, Falkland Is., Fiji, Florida, Free State, Georgia, Greenland, Guatemala, Haiti, Hawaii, Honduras, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha