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Is Clover a Type of Grass?

Grass is often used as a generic term for pasture in agriculture or to describe areas of green ground cover that may be mowed and kept for recreational or ornamental use. Clover is often one of the many plants that comprise pastures, parks and recreational areas that have not been specifically sown as lawn grasses.
  1. Definition of Grass

    • While people use the term grass to mean lawn or pasture, grass is a particular group of plants with a clear definition. Grasses are endogenous plants with a simple jointed, hollow stem with simple leaves, paired husks and a single seed. The grass family includes cereals such as rye, barley and wheat.

    Definition of Clover

    • Red clover flowers are composites of small flowers attracting pollinating insects.

      While clover often appears in agricultural grass pastures and is included in pasture seeding mixtures, it is not a grass. Clover is a member of the genus Trifolium, which belongs to the family Fabaceae and is a perennial, leguminous herb. Clover is recognized by its mostly trifolate leaves and composite flowers consisting of many small upright flowers, renowned for producing nectar and a light honey.

    History

    • The clover plant is believed to be between 16 and 23 million years old and has been identified in the Mediterranean during the early Miocene period. It was first domesticated by the Dutch 400 years ago. Between 250 and 300 species of clover now exist. White clover was spread through Europe and Western Asia by migrating animals and by migration of settlers to other continents where it naturalized in temperate regions with a minimum rainfall of 30 inches per year.

    Cultivation of Clover

    • White clover flowers in their last stages still attract insects.

      Clover can reproduce by either stolons that spread and regenerate the plant or by seeding. Success in one method usually means diminished success in the other. Clover, particularly the common white clover, prefers moist, fertile soil and may require fertilizers to produce a good crop. It is most often sown with a variety of grasses for a mixed pasture.