Trifolium cernuum

Nodding clover

Family: Fabaceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Nodding clover is a naturalized annual found in northern coastal California, northern Sacramento Valley, central Coast Ranges, and San Francisco Bay Area in disturbed areas at elevations below 150 meters. Flowering in May, this plant produces pink flowers with a notched banner and delicate reflexed positioning. Growing with prostrate to ascending glabrous stems, it forms low-spreading clusters across disturbed ground. Its leaves feature three leaflets, each 0.4 to 1.5 centimeters long, with obovate to heart-shaped leaflets that have prominent veins and blunt or slightly notched tips. The plant's lance-triangular stipules have long-pointed tips, giving it a distinctive appearance in its preferred habitats.

Habitat: Disturbed areas

Bloom period: May

Elevation: < 150 m

Bioregions: NCoRO, n ScV, CCo, SnFrB

California counties: Marin, Butte, Nevada, Tehama, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Del Norte, Napa, San Mateo, Monterey

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