Springhead clover, Springbank clover
Trifolium wormskioldii

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It has long underground stems or rhizomes. There are fine roots at the nodes on these stems. There are few stems and these can be upright or lie along the ground. The leaves have 3 leaflets. These vary is shape and size. The central leaflet is 2.4 cm long. There are fine teeth along the edge. The flower heads are almost round. There are 50 flowers in a group. The flowers are purple often with white tips. The fruit is a pod with 1-5 seeds.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in wet places. It is often on salty flats and the edges of streams.

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Canada, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The rhizomes are harvested after the leaves have been killed by frost and then roasted in ashes or boiled.

It has been an important food.

Edible parts

Roots

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Trifolium fimbriatum Lindl.;