Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
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Flowering plantsIn Franklin County, Ohio

Red Clover

Trifolium pratense L.

Red Clover in all of Ohio
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Order
Fabales
Family
Fabaceae

Introduced and invasive status

Introduced in Ohio: iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)

Also listed

  • Introduced and assessed as invasive in the lower 48 states

iNaturalist's volunteer curators list it as introduced in their Ohio checklist.

US-RIIS assesses a species as invasive when it causes, or is likely to cause, harm there, or is at least locally abundant and harmful ecologically, economically, or to health.

Status: Simpson A, Sellers E, Pagad S (2023). United States Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (US-RIIS), ver. 2.0. U.S. Geological Survey, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9KFFTOD (opens in a new tab)

Near Franklin County

Range

Where it is recorded

Season shown in 4 of Ohio's 88 counties. Explore Ohio

  • No result yet (4)
  • Recorded, too few records for a result (61)
  • Recorded, season not shown (19)
  • Season shown (4)
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Cartographic Boundary Files, 1:500,000. Show as a table
Counties as a table
Red Clover by Ohio county: records and mapped range
CountyRecords
Adams CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Allen CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Ashland CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Ashtabula CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Athens County231 · Recorded, season not shown
Auglaize CountyNo qualifying records yet
Belmont CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Brown CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Butler County93 · Recorded, season not shown
Carroll CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Champaign CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Clark CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Clermont County37 · Recorded, season not shown
Clinton CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Columbiana CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Coshocton CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Crawford CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Cuyahoga County113 · Recorded, season not shown
Darke CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Defiance CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Delaware County51 · Recorded, season not shown
Erie County25 · Recorded, season not shown
Fairfield County54 · Recorded, season not shown
Fayette CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Franklin County190 · Recorded, season not shown
Fulton CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Gallia CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Geauga County28 · Recorded, season not shown
Greene County51 · Recorded, season not shown
Guernsey CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Hamilton County129 · Season shown
Hancock CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Hardin CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Harrison CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Henry CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Highland CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Hocking CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Holmes CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Huron CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Jackson CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Jefferson CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Knox CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Lake County33 · Recorded, season not shown
Lawrence CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Licking County52 · Recorded, season not shown
Logan CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Lorain County48 · Recorded, season not shown
Lucas County108 · Recorded, season not shown
Madison CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Mahoning CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Marion CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Medina County31 · Recorded, season not shown
Meigs CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Mercer CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Miami CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Monroe CountyNo qualifying records yet
Montgomery County100 · Recorded, season not shown
Morgan CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Morrow CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Muskingum CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Noble CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Ottawa CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Paulding CountyNo qualifying records yet
Perry CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Pickaway CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Pike CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Portage County37 · Recorded, season not shown
Preble CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Putnam CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Richland CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Ross CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Sandusky CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Scioto CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Seneca CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Shelby CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Stark County38 · Recorded, season not shown
Summit County177 · Season shown
Trumbull CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Tuscarawas CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Union CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Van Wert CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Vinton CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Warren County60 · Recorded, season not shown
Washington CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Wayne County26 · Season shown
Williams CountyRecorded, too few records for a result
Wood County71 · Season shown
Wyandot CountyNo qualifying records yet

No mapped range from the range source used, the USGS Gap Analysis Project, which maps land vertebrates only.

Season

When it is recorded

In Franklin County

Late April to mid-July, middle week early June, and again early August to mid-October, middle week mid-September

Recorded in two separate seasons, each shown with its own early, middle and late weeks.

Show over the bars
Recording in Franklin County · records of all species each week, 95,840 in all

Records per week from 190 records in 9 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of Red Clover in Franklin County each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Red CloverYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–1000417
Jan 11–1700236
Jan 18–2400236
Jan 25–3100236
Feb 1–700244
Feb 8–1400360
Feb 15–2100270
Feb 22–2800401
Mar 1–700483
Mar 8–1400567
Mar 15–2100561
Mar 22–2800750
Mar 29 – Apr 4001,310
Apr 5–11111,456
Apr 12–18112,408
Apr 19–25312,525
Apr 26 – May 2432,812
May 3–9532,785
May 10–16222,381
May 17–23832,651
May 24–30942,735
May 31 – Jun 61562,861
Jun 7–131252,986
Jun 14–20852,980
Jun 21–27743,051
Jun 28 – Jul 4543,121
Jul 5–11433,399
Jul 12–18953,754
Jul 19–25323,305
Jul 26 – Aug 1223,347
Aug 2–8333,803
Aug 9–15333,507
Aug 16–22843,137
Aug 23–29823,249
Aug 30 – Sep 51143,487
Sep 6–121363,215
Sep 13–19543,368
Sep 20–26432,586
Sep 27 – Oct 31873,624
Oct 4–10922,701
Oct 11–17832,107
Oct 18–24001,201
Oct 25–31111,123
Nov 1–700789
Nov 8–1411798
Nov 15–2100468
Nov 22–2800522
Nov 29 – Dec 500225
Dec 6–1200234
Dec 13–1900392
Dec 20–2600254
Dec 27 – Jan 200422

Reported in flower

Only 11 records here show flowers, too few to show a flowering season. One needs at least 20 records from 5 different years.

Reported in fruit

Only 1 records here show fruit, too few to show a fruiting season. One needs at least 20 records from 5 different years.

In Ohio

Mid-April to late July, middle week early June, and again early August to early November, middle week mid-September

Recorded in two separate seasons, each shown with its own early, middle and late weeks.

Show over the bars
Recording in Ohio · records of all species each week, 1,691,199 in all

Records per week from 2,752 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of Red Clover in Ohio each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of Red CloverYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–10006,211
Jan 11–17225,146
Jan 18–24004,645
Jan 25–31004,698
Feb 1–7006,023
Feb 8–14005,888
Feb 15–21005,436
Feb 22–28006,846
Mar 1–7118,321
Mar 8–141110,384
Mar 15–213312,620
Mar 22–285313,949
Mar 29 – Apr 410519,661
Apr 5–1116626,860
Apr 12–1822639,925
Apr 19–2532741,623
Apr 26 – May 247856,391
May 3–951852,952
May 10–1659853,785
May 17–23144857,698
May 24–301651054,651
May 31 – Jun 61601053,099
Jun 7–131551053,700
Jun 14–201351056,625
Jun 21–271091055,361
Jun 28 – Jul 490958,477
Jul 5–1177961,336
Jul 12–18941064,722
Jul 19–2581969,753
Jul 26 – Aug 1711059,416
Aug 2–855959,712
Aug 9–1560955,994
Aug 16–22751054,328
Aug 23–2964851,772
Aug 30 – Sep 51231057,167
Sep 6–12186959,075
Sep 13–19101954,543
Sep 20–2682945,860
Sep 27 – Oct 3132943,180
Oct 4–10100837,841
Oct 11–1795930,824
Oct 18–24451021,156
Oct 25–3130819,021
Nov 1–734714,172
Nov 8–1424912,621
Nov 15–21647,965
Nov 22–28448,136
Nov 29 – Dec 5436,083
Dec 6–12116,004
Dec 13–19115,423
Dec 20–26005,661
Dec 27 – Jan 2008,459

Reported in flower

Usually reported in flower early May to early August, middle week mid-June, and again mid-August to early November, middle week early September.

Reported in fruit

Only 14 records here show fruit, too few to show a fruiting season. One needs at least 20 records from 5 different years.

What these results show

These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.

Relatives

In the same genus

Other Trifolium recorded in Franklin County

Identification

How to identify it

Telling it apart

From what Ohio’s records show. Only what the records support is shown.

Often confused with

  • white clover Trifolium repensOften confused in Ohio: 51 identifications in Ohio named one where the other was meant
  • Alsike clover Trifolium hybridumOften confused in Ohio: 35 identifications in Ohio named one where the other was meant
  • crimson clover Trifolium incarnatum149 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • White Sweetclover Melilotus albus90 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
  • Black Medick Medicago lupulina77 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant

From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.

Months not reported

  1. Jan: recorded
  2. Feb: no record
  3. Mar: recorded
  4. Apr: recorded
  5. May: recorded
  6. Jun: recorded
  7. Jul: recorded
  8. Aug: recorded
  9. Sep: recorded
  10. Oct: recorded
  11. Nov: recorded
  12. Dec: recorded

Not reported in Ohio in February, 2016 to 2025.

Land cover where it is recorded

Land coverIts recordsAll Ohio records
Developed59%49%
Farmland20%11%
Forest19%31%
Wetland1%5%
Grassland and shrub0.5%0.9%
Open water0.5%3%
Barren0.2%0.6%

From 1,828 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Sources

Where these results come from

  • Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
  • Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
  • See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.

Records behind the Ohio result

2,752 records from 2 datasets.

To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).

A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.