Description
Trifolium rubens is a really underrated plant that is worth growing for its long flowering display and its versatility, adaptability and just all round super robust and reliable manner. In spring when the plant wakes up it sends up mounds of trifolate (3 leaved), clover like leaves that form an attractive mound. This collects energy from the early season sun as it regains its strength and feeds this to the flowering stems, which shoot up from mid-summer and make way for multitudes of silky, feathery flowers. The flowers open from the bottom of the inflorescent upwards, and are a strong ruby-pink red in colour, blending neatly into the white of the unopened buds above and contrasting with the mid-green foliage below. The flowers last a long time – will come again if the plant is cut back to tidy it up later in summer – and like all clovers is absolutely loved by bees and other pollinators. It makes a fine addition to a wildlife garden or a wilder area in the garden.
These established, garden-ready plants have been grown at our nursery in Cornwall and are supplied in 2 litre containers. They will grow to an ultimate height of about 60cm (25 inches) with a similar spread.
Growing Advice
Trifolium rubens are very unfussy plants and reliable performers. It will do best in a sunny or partially shaded location in soils that have decent drainage but don’t dry out too much, but it can adapt to a range of conditions in our experience. When the leaves begin to look a little tatty later in summer don’t be frightened to cut the plant back – it should respond by putting on fresh foliage and new flowers a little later.
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