Earlier this year I found that black medic had spread into the side yard. I was amazed first by how well established it already was and second by how big the plants were. They were much larger than the ones along the driveway. It wasn’t until they started to go to seed that I realized why. They were not black medic. They were hop clovers.
I’m not sure exactly which type of hop clover they are. There are three types (Trifoleum aureum, Trifoleum campestre, and Trifoleum dubium). For my current purposes, “hop clover” is good enough.
So, I finally found my fifth clover. I am literally in clover. Plus, there is another tall clover-y plant now growing in the side yard that has miraculously escaped the mower. I think that it’s probably slender bush clover. If my guess turns out to be right, then I’ll have all five identified clovers in my yard–a complete clover collection!