Trifolium gracilentum

Common Names

Pinpoint Clover, Slender Clover, Graceful Clover, Palmer's Clover, Southern Island Clover

Summary

Pinpoint clover is an annual herb native to western North America, including the U.S. West Coast and northwestern Mexico. It grows from prostrate to erect, with glabrous or slightly hairy stems and leaves with lance-shaped to oval leaflets, and features an umbel of pink to pink-purple flowers that are generally small and often directed to the side.

Culture favors full sun and moist to moderately moist conditions; soils include clay or loam, with habitats in open disturbed places, moist grassy areas, and wet habitats. Flowering occurs in spring, and flowers attract bees and butterflies, making it suitable for pollinator-friendly plantings and naturalistic landscapes.

Lifecycle

Annual

Height

3-16 inches

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun.

Soil Type

Well-drained soils across sandy, loamy, and clay textures, including serpentine soils.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Mildly acidic to mildly alkaline (circum-neutral) soils.

Bloom Color

Pink to purple

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Other

Growth Rate

Annual

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds — pre-soak 12 hours in warm water; sow in spring (in situ or in pots in a cold frame); transplant after last frost

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators