White Clover

What it looks like

Look for groups of three leaflets, each with a pale white V-shaped mark near the base. It forms a mat close to the ground with rooting stems, and produces small round white ball-shaped flowers.

Often mistaken for: Black medic (notched leaflet tips, yellow flowers) or yellow woodsorrel (heart-shaped leaflets, yellow flowers)

When it shows up in the Triangle

You'll see it flowering from spring through early fall, but the plant itself can hang around in the lawn year-round.

Where you’ll see it

Shows up in home lawns, especially areas that are mowed short and haven't been fertilized much.

What you can do

• Boost your lawn's nitrogen with regular fertilizing - this is the single biggest thing that discourages clover
• Mow a bit higher to help turf outcompete it
• Hand-pull small patches, making sure to get the roots since it spreads by creeping stems
• Overseed thin or bare spots so grass fills in before clover can take hold