Crimson Clover
Trifolium incarnatum
not a native plant
Upright annual with large bright-red conical flower heads. It is not hardy and grows only in subtropical climates, being used in cooler climates as a summer annual and in warmer climates as a winter annual. It is adapted to light, sandy and clay soils but is not very drought resistant. Though it produces an abundance of seeds in permanent pastures a stand of ordinary crimson clover cannot be maintained without reseeding because the seeds germinate after a light rain and are killed by a subsequent dry spell. To overcome this, the Dixie variety, which has harder seeds that germinate over a longer period, has been developed. It should not be cut for hay after the flowers at the base of the most advanced heads have faded, as the barbed hairs on the heads and stems become hard and wiry and may injure the animals eating them. It makes excellent silage.