Trifolium incarnatum Origin: Europe Improvement status: Cover crop cultivar Seeds per packet: ~3/4 pound Germination tested 01/2026: 95% Life cycle: Annual (or winter annual in Southern U.S.) Square feet coverage: 3/4 pound could cover 1,000 to 3,000 square feet Great nitrogen-fixing legume. Also great for a variety of native bees and honey bees. Striking, beautiful red flowers. Good lawn alternative to grass, although can grow 1-3 feet tall. Can be mowed and will grow back but don't cut below 3-4 inches. Also would be good to use as a "living mulch" in the path between beds. Seed late summer for most biomass accumulation; can also be seeded in spring in the Upper Midwest. Will likely winterkill in the Upper Midwest; seeding into September in the Upper Midwest results in less growth before freeze-up. Good as a cover crop overseeded into standing crops in the fall or seeded at last cultivation. Behaves as a winter annual in southern U.S, which means if sown in the fall, will live through the winter and go to seed the following year. This seed is inoculated with PreVail (OMRI listed), a clay-based inoculant designed to improve early seedling vigor through increased root development and excellent nodulation, and to assist in germination. Broadcast seed or plant at a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep.
