Red Clover is a biennial or perennial grown for its pods, ready to pick about 140 days after sowing. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 10. Its late spring flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies, even though the pods are the prize. A nitrogen-fixer, it draws nitrogen from the air and feeds it back to the soil — turn it under or leave the roots in place, and the next planting inherits a richer bed.
Zones
3-10
pH Range
4.5-8.2
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
140
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What Red Clover is
Red Clover grows as a biennial or perennial and reaches around 2.5 feet at maturity. It blooms red in late spring.
How to grow Red Clover
Red Clover grows in USDA zones 3 through 10 and is ready to harvest about 140 days after planting. Red Clover does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 8.2, on evenly moist to well-drained ground. It needs around 1,800 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 120 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
3-10
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.5 - 8.2
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
poorly (saturated >50% of year), well (dry spells)
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
39.2°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Days to Maturity
140 days
Red clover; cover crop; no strat needed.
USDA-NRCS
GDD Required
1800+
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
2.5 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
120+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant red clover in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Red Clover prefers pH 4.5 to 8.2 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band. It fixes its own nitrogen, so skip the high-nitrogen feed and instead dust the seed with a matching rhizobium inoculant at sowing.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
Red Clover is ready about 140 days after sowing (USDA-NRCS). Pick the pods young and tender, before the seeds inside fully swell.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — red clover isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Red Clover is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Red Clover thrives
On hardiness alone, red clover grows across most of the country — its range (USDA zones 3 through 10) is unusually wide. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 3–10·Where Red Clover growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Red Clover can grow in these states:
See if Red Clover will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether red clover actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Red Clover in my zone?
Red Clover grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 10 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long does Red Clover take to grow?
Red Clover is ready to harvest about 140 days after planting (USDA-NRCS). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant Red Clover?
Most growers plant red clover after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 120-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Red Clover need?
Red Clover needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Red Clover need?
Red Clover prefers soil pH 4.5 to 8.2, on evenly moist to well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Red Clover attract pollinators?
Yes — red clover's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Red Clover safe for pets?
Red Clover is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.