White clover is loved by the bees and is often found in gardens and yards. Generally, it is seen as a weed but like most ‘weeds' if we look a little closer we can see that it has much to offer us. This summer leave some for the bees but also consider using white clover for food and medicine in your kitchen and herbal apothecary.
Using White Clover for Food
All of the aerial parts of the clover plant are edible : leaves, stems, flowers, and seed pods. The dried leaves and flowers are slightly sweet and can leave behind a faint vanilla-like flavor.
Use them fresh or dried in baked goods. Use the leaves raw in salads or dry for baked goods later. The flowers make a delicious tea and can be used dried or fresh.
While the flavor is not exactly the same as red clover, try using white clover in any recipe that calls for red clover.
Some recipes for white clover:
- White Clover Pudding
- White Clover Snow (a kind of gelatin)
- Strawberry White Clover Cookies
- White Clover Iced Tea
Drying White Clover
Spread the blossoms and the leaves out onto trays or screens and let dry until crispy. Alternatively, tie the blossoms and leaves into bundles and hang until completely dry and crispy. Store the dried herbs in air-tight jars. I, personally, dehydrate only the blossoms to use in tea and baked goods but the leaves are good too.
Using White Clover for Medicine
More is more written about red clover than white clover, it seems. However, White clover (Trifolium repens) does have its own medicinal uses. It was traditionally used to purify and cleanse the blood. A tea made from the blossoms can be used as an eyewash. Tincture the leaves to use as an ointment for gout. Make a tea infusion to fight fevers and colds.
Harvest those white blossoms from unsprayed yards and parks this summer, and begin using white clover in the kitchen and home medicine cabinet.
Duy Tran says
I would like to get hold of and grow some white clover at home. Do they come in seeds and if so, who provides them?
Homespun Seasonal Living says
I could not find the seed sold in any of my favored sources. It could be that it is considered invasive in many places so seed isn’t sold. I’m not sure where to buy seed, I’m sorry that’s not very helpful.
Karolyn Rae says
Available at Amazon. I’m trying to replace my lawn with clover. It is less work, and feeds the bees.
Carla says
Was wondering if you had success with this in your yard and if so, did you plantnon the north side of your house. I live in North Texas.
Homespun Seasonal Living says
It just grows wild here in northwestern Montana. Most folks would consider it a weed. Growing it on the northside sounds like a good idea.
Elizabeth says
How long over the summer will clover last? The patches on my yard die off relatively quickly?
Homespun Seasonal Living says
I think that’s going to completely depend on the growing season. Many years can last a long time here in northwest Montana but this year has been very hot and dry and they haven’t stuck around much.
Dirty Dave says
They grow really well in the semishade dense shade here in Au. With a good amount of Moisture in the soil you will have a hard time getting rid of it.
Richard says
Clover starts to die here in SE Texas when the weather starts to get hot. Right now,Early February,they are growing and will start to flower soon.
Cha says
I LOVE that idea!
Sara says
I believe the seed is sold at farm stores like TSC or farmers’ seed supply places. Farmers sow white clover in pastures for animal grazing.
Jenifer says
You’ll need to find “ground cover clover”
Check places that sell seeds to plant for livestock feed
Myst says
You can get white clover seeds at any Co-Op- it is sold for pasture use.
Anthony Coleman says
Wal-Mart, Target are two places to buy Clover seeds and go on line.
Sally Brown says
You can find white clover growing all over the place as weeds, at least in North America mid-Atl states. Find an unsprayed yard or field. One that hasn’t been cared for probably hasn’t been sprayed, but wash them very well before making tea, please
Patricia says
http://pin.it/7l36mbh justsaw this link to buy seed on Pinterest
Monica says
I noticed bags of clover seed at my local farm store.
Denise says
I planted miniature white clover and love it! No mowing, needs no fertilizing, no weed control applications, beautiful green lawn with blooming flowers!
Jenifer says
Did you have all your grass pulled up or did you just toss out clover on top and it took over?
Claire Nichols says
I bought organic seeds from Amazon to use for ground cover and improving the soil. You can actually use it to improve lawns and replace grass altogether?
Wendy says
MIgardener sells it for crop cover.
Ella says
They grow in your back yard like dandelions
Hellen says
HI
I CAN seed you seeds from my garden.
Mary says
I’m seeing plenty of white clover again here in Columbus Ohio more than usual,I find it odd cause of weed control Which I hate no bees on it like when I was child;)
Homespun Seasonal Living says
Must be a good year for it. Though I agree spraying tends to knock it all out which is a shame.
Wendy says
I also have noticed a lack of bees…
Al Swilling says
I live in SE Tennessee, and there is also a noticeable lack of honey bees here and in N. Georgia, where I grew up.
When I was a kid, my paternal grandparents’ yard was exclusively white clover, and the honey bees were all over the place. My grandmother warned us to watch where we were walking and to avoid stepping on the bees; not because of getting stung, but because she didn’t want the bees harmed. In fact, she taught all of her grandchildren the importance of the bees in pollinating the flowers and food crops, as well as producing honey.
Being Tsalagi (Cherokee), we kids were taught about the “web of life”; that everything works together in an intricate web, and that what affects one plant, animal, or insect ultimately affects everything else above and below it in the web. So, we respected the bees, and found that if we didn’t bother the bees, they wouldn’t bother us. In fact, there were numerous times when honey bees would land on us, sometimes for several seconds, then fly away and go about their business; and the ONLY times anyone was stung were when someone hurt or swatted the bee. Virtually every case of bee sting was due to the sting victim’s inattention or negligence. In other words, the honey bees only stung out of self defense and in protection of their hive. Also, once a honey bee stings, it dies; so they are conservative in their use of their stings.
Over the years, we have seen fewer and fewer honey bees in this area; but there has been an increase in wasps, carpenter bees, yellow jackets, and bumble bees (another very rare species in this area these days) that have taken on the task of pollination in the absence of honey bees. The yard where I live is mostly comprised of wild grasses, and most of them have medicinal and culinary uses. Between 1/3 and 1/2 of the front yard is comprised of white clover, with some wildflowers of various kinds. Clover just makes the lawn prettier, in my opinion. For those who are lawn obsessive, the yard is mowed occasionally, but only to satisfy the local “neighborhood association”, which doesn’t like to see lawns with narrow-leaf plantain spikes, chives, wild onion, or dandelion stalks with flowers or seed heads. Frankly, I think the dandelion, clover, wildflowers, and violets are beautiful.
There are several lawns here in this neighborhood that are exclusively white clover, and they are beautiful; or maybe they are beautiful to me because they are reminiscent of my childhood and times spent with my grandmother and grandfather who valued all life and avoided anything that would break or endanger a single thread in the web of life.
Did I mention that my grandfather was a farmer? He always had good harvests and good crop yields–enough for our family and less fortunate neighbors, as well–and he didn’t use a single pesticide or herbicide. He did, however, practice what is now called “companion planting”, where he planted certain flowers among the crops to repel certain insects. He also was not a lazy farmer. He and my grandmother actually weeded their two-acre garden with a hoe–“old school”. Maybe my grandparents’ white clover lawn was a gesture of thanks toward the bees who pollinated their crops; or dessert, perhaps. Whatever it took to maintain the web of life….
Cindy says
Al Swilling, Thank you for your reply and interesting history of your delightful childhood with your grandparents. I too have always been interested in the chain of life, although I’m not of Native American origin. I love that your grandparents have passed on their knowledge to you and you’re continuing to pass on to others.
I do have a flower bed dedicated to wildflowers that attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds. I don’t think I’ve seen any honey bees, yet. Still hopeful!
Thanks also for the white clover information, we have a pasture full!! Now, hopefully, I can convince my partner it’s not a bad thing!!
Becky says
What about using white clover in place of red in jelly? I know the color would not be as rosy but the flavor?
Homespun Seasonal Living says
The flavor is going to be different but good. I’ve thinking about it myself actually and might give it a try.
lisa says
I have tons of it here in IA. when I mow I leave huge patches for the bumble bees :-)
never knew I could benefit too.
thanks for the info..
Sandy M says
I raised my mower deck so that I leave the whole plant. The bees are happy, I love my pretty lawn and the soil loves the hydrating effect of thick, sheltering plant life. Win, win, win!
Alicia Owen says
Cool! I had no idea you could use white clover for anything useful! I don’t know why, since pretty much every other “weed” under the sun has beneficial properties, but this is the first I have heard about this. Thanks for sharing!
Ellen L says
I just need to find an area my chickens have not visited on their free range wanderings, and fertilized recently. Thanks for he helpful information. I have used many herbs for decades, but often we miss the easy and abundant ones literally at our own feet.
Amy Shatrick says
I’m so excited to see this info. I was just defending them to my husband who wanted to mow them all down. I’m headed out to pick some.
Rachel R. says
Thank you! I’ve never been able to find any information about whether white clover is useful; everything seems to be written about the red. But white is much more plentiful in my yard. I’m looking forward to trying some of these options.
Homespun Seasonal Living says
Oh, I’m so glad this was useful and I hope you have fun getting to know this plant!
Jennifer says
I used to crave this as a kid. I would suck on the flowers until no flavor left then spit them out. Guess my body needed something in them. Now I wonder if I will like as much now as I did then.
Homespun Seasonal Living says
You’ll have to try and let me know. What a sweet memory, thank you for sharing!
Brittany Manning says
I did too! I hunted them down and couldn’t get enough! My grandmother always yelled at me for eating clovers and the heart shaped leaves with tiny lil yellow flowers? Forget what their called but I would eat them too. I just somehow knew what I could eat?? Probably a skill we all have but lose as we get older
Lakyn says
The plant with tiny yellow flowers and heart shaped leaves is known as wood sorrel aka Oxalis & is valuable itself!
Claudia Christianson says
Thank you for the information. I have red and white clover on my property. I was going to make some syrup, cough syrup, and jelly with the red and was curious about the white. Now I can try with both and have a variety. Thank you again very much.
Homespun Seasonal Living says
Oh I’m so glad to know, you found this information useful! Enjoy those clovers.
Reader says
You can use the roots as well; I read about it. They’re both edible and medicinal.
Kathie Lapcevic says
You’ll need to cite some sources, please.
Aislynn says
Hi! thank you for your post! i have a connection to this plant and only recently moved to a location it may flower in the summer. do you know of any way to purchase it dried?
Kathie Lapcevic says
I don’t know any place find it dried, I’m sorry. I searched my usual places and they don’t sell it.
Aislynn says
thank you so much for responding! i appreciate it. i will go foraging in the upcoming warmer months.
Jenifer says
Maybe check with a co-op like azure?
Donna says
Westcoastseeds sell white clover seed.
Cha says
Should we wash it before drying? If so, what method do you recommend? Thanks.
Kathie Lapcevic says
Yes always wash to remove dirt, bugs, deer urine, etc. etc. https://homespunseasonalliving.com/clean-foraged-plants/
Sophie Cassel says
Just a note that the “vanilla” flavor is due to the coumarin content of this lovely plant, which alludes to its potential use as a circulatory stimulant and mild blood thinner. Shouldn’t be a problem for anyone just drinking occasional tea or adding to salad, but in large doses could pose a problem for folks who are already on pharmaceutical blood thinners. Just want to make sure folks are safe and remember that plant medicine can interact with pharma meds not because they are “dangerous” but because the plants know how to heal.