Clover is a versatile legume used in gardens and agriculture as a lawn alternative, soil enricher, or livestock forage. Understanding its temperature tolerance is crucial for successful establishment and management. Effective clover management in diverse climates depends on recognizing how different temperatures affect its growth.
How Temperature Influences Clover Growth
Temperature significantly influences clover’s growth and development. Each plant has an optimal temperature range for efficient metabolic processes like photosynthesis, leading to robust growth. Temperatures outside this range can slow or halt these processes. Both excessively high and low temperatures induce dormancy. Heat-induced dormancy conserves energy and reduces water loss when temperatures are too high. Cold-induced dormancy allows clover to survive freezing by shutting down active growth. Temperature also directly affects root development and nutrient absorption. Roots grow best within specific temperature ranges; extreme heat or cold impairs their ability to expand and take up water and nutrients, impacting the plant’s overall vigor and capacity to thrive.
Temperature Ranges for Common Clover Varieties
Different clover varieties have distinct temperature preferences and tolerances, making variety selection important for regional climates.
White Clover
White clover, including Ladino and Dutch white clover, thrives in cooler temperatures, with optimal growth between 50°F and 75°F (10°C to 24°C). It is cold hardy, surviving winters in USDA Zones 3-9, and tolerates short heat periods, though prolonged heat above 85°F (29°C) can induce dormancy.
Red Clover
Red clover prefers slightly warmer conditions, with optimal growth between 60°F and 80°F (15°C to 27°C). It is cold hardy in Zones 3-8 but struggles in sustained extreme heat, especially with drought.
Crimson Clover
Crimson clover is a cool-season annual, often planted in fall or early spring, performing optimally between 50°F and 70°F (10°C to 21°C). It is less tolerant of extreme cold than white or red clover, hardy to Zone 6 or 7, and dies back with hard freezes.
Alsike Clover
Alsike clover tolerates cold and wet conditions, thriving between 55°F and 75°F (13°C to 24°C). It is cold hardy, surviving in Zones 3-8, and tolerates poor drainage and acidic soils. While handling cooler temperatures well, it is less tolerant of prolonged dry heat and may decline in arid, hot summers.
Strategies for Clover Resilience in Extreme Temperatures
Implementing proactive strategies enhances clover’s ability to withstand extreme temperatures.
Irrigation
During high heat, appropriate irrigation maintains plant health. Deep, infrequent watering in the early morning helps clover access moisture and cool the soil, encouraging deeper root growth and making plants more resilient to dry conditions.
Mulching
Mulching benefits both hot and cold extremes. A layer of organic mulch, like straw or wood chips, insulates the soil, keeping it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This minimizes root zone temperature fluctuations, reducing plant stress.
Optimal Planting Times
Optimal planting times avoid immediate temperature stress. Planting clover in early spring or late summer/early fall allows plants to establish robust root systems before extreme summer heat or winter cold, buffering against adverse conditions.
Variety Selection
Selecting the right clover variety for a specific climate is key for long-term resilience. Choosing varieties known for heat or cold tolerance in your region contributes to a healthier clover stand.
Identifying and Addressing Temperature Stress
Recognizing visual signs of temperature stress in clover allows for timely intervention.
Heat Stress
Clover experiencing heat stress often shows wilting, with leaves drooping due to excessive water loss. Browning of leaf edges or entire leaves can occur, and growth may appear stunted or plants may enter dormancy, turning yellowish.
Cold Stress
Cold stress manifests as discoloration, with leaves turning purplish or reddish due to pigment changes. In severe cases, winter dieback can occur, where large sections of the clover stand perish, and spring growth may be delayed.
Reactive Measures
Once stress is observed, reactive measures can aid recovery. For heat-stressed clover, light watering during cooler parts of the day helps rehydrate plants, but avoid overwatering, especially if dormant. Avoid fertilizing during temperature stress, as this adds strain. After extreme events, assess damage to determine if replanting is necessary.