Trifolium appendiculatum

Large variegated clover, Large Variegated Clover

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Large variegated clover is a California native perennial found in northern coastal, north coastal, Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, central western, southwestern, and southeastern Sierra Nevada areas in permanently wet meadows and marshes at elevations of 50 to 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to July, this clover produces lavender to purple flowers with white-tipped petals in dense heads 1.5 to 3 centimeters wide. Growing with robust ascending stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall, it develops a sturdy, generally ascending habit. Its leaves have deeply cut stipules with obovate, elliptic, or heart-shaped leaflets characteristic of the clover family. The flower clusters feature a distinctive wheel-shaped involucre with 10 or more flowers, creating a dense and intricate display.

Habitat: Permanently wet or inundated sites, including meadows, marshes

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: 50-2200 m

Bioregions: NCo, NCoR, SN, GV, CW, SW, SNE

California counties: San Luis Obispo, Butte, Kern, Madera, Marin, Lake, Sonoma, Mendocino, Tulare, Merced, Sacramento, Fresno, Placer, Humboldt, Solano, Contra Costa, Yolo, Sutter, Napa, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, San Diego, El Dorado, Lassen, Monterey, Tehama

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.