Trifolium andersonii

Forums: 
2) Astragalus, Oxytropis, Lupinus, and other Fabaceae

Trifolium andersonii grows along the eastern Sierras Nevada Range of California and Nevada entering south central Oregon in the Steens Mountains then eastward into the Owyhee Plateau of Idahoe.
Trifolium andersonii has thee subspecies. Trifolium andersonii ssp. andersonii the most wide spreed across the whole range. Trifolium andersonii ssp. beatleyae only found in the CA & NV portions of the range. Trifolium andersonii ssp. monoense found in the southern Sierra Nevada Range.

I grow two of the subspecies in my garden, ssp. andersonii and ssp. beatleyae.

The first shots are of Trifolium andersonii ssp. andersonii. Pearl white flowers over silvery pubescent foliage. The second set are of Trifolium andersonii ssp. beatleyae. Pink flowers over downy green foliage.

Comments

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Sun, 05/23/2010 - 8:42am

Those are two very attractive plants.  More, please!

Richard T. Rodich's picture

Richard T. Rodich

Sun, 05/23/2010 - 4:12pm

Trifolium had always been one of those "I don't get the allure" genera for me, until you and Lori opened my eyes.  Great plants, and photos!

Lori S.'s picture

Lori S. (not verified)

Sun, 05/23/2010 - 5:50pm

Thanks!  What spectacular foliage on both of them - the exquisite flowers are just icing on the cake!

Trond Hoy's picture

Trond Hoy

Mon, 05/24/2010 - 1:22am

I too like this species!
I have always been fond of clover. When I was in Caucasus I found some very nice ones and tried to save seed but they didn't germinate. I found some others in Turkey last summer and have managed to get a few plants. Time will show if they match yours! (They are different, anyway.)

cohan's picture

cohan (not verified)

Wed, 01/11/2012 - 1:16am

These are both nice plants! I've been telling myself that alpine/dryland Trifoliums (I've seen pics of nice ones before) are not like the weeds that plague me here (several forage species gone wild; they are my worst weeds and among our most bothersome- to me- invasives.. there doesn't seem to be any concern about them since livestock eat them, and that's all anyone cares about) but I find I have much more prejudice against this genus than against dandelions!
It comforts me that, in fact, the foliage of these is more reminiscent of Lupines (of which there are none in my area outside gardens) than clovers!
The word clover alone is enough to upset me....lol Trifolium is fine  ;D

Tim Ingram's picture

Tim Ingram (not verified)

Wed, 01/11/2012 - 11:59am

These trifoliums really do have something about them, like so many legumes. Thanks for your link to T. macrocephalum Mark. I am trying a couple from Alplains, haydenii and nanum, but my experience with so many of these choice legumes is the difficulty of growing them on successfully after germination. Perhaps they are best sown in situ. I have wondered if they lack the microbial association with rhizobium that they would normally have in nature but seeing the success that some growers have in the States I am encouraged to keep trying! The foliage of these plants is delightful and John's first picture of andersonii is especially remarkable.