Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) is in the Legumes family (Fabaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 10,330 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from May to October, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Red Clover: observations by month (U.S.)
About Red Clover
Trifolium pratense, the red clover, is a herbaceous species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae, native to Europe, Western Asia and northwest Africa, but planted and naturalised in many other regions.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Red Clover by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 934 | June | May–Sep |
| New York | 893 | June | May–Oct |
| Vermont | 820 | June | Jun–Oct |
| North Carolina | 608 | June | May–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 579 | June | May–Oct |
| Pennsylvania | 497 | June | May–Jul |
| Ohio | 481 | September | May–Sep |
| Washington | 464 | June | May–Sep |
| Illinois | 381 | June | May–Jul |
| Kentucky | 355 | May | Apr–Jul |
| New Hampshire | 347 | September | Aug–Sep |
| Virginia | 343 | May | Apr–Oct |
| Wisconsin | 322 | June | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey | 317 | June | May–Oct |
| Minnesota | 289 | June | Jun–Oct |
| Oregon | 283 | May | May–Aug |
| Maryland | 280 | May | May–Jun |
| Maine | 261 | June | Jun–Oct |
| Connecticut | 219 | June | May–Sep |
| Michigan | 202 | June | Jun–Sep |
| Tennessee | 157 | May | Apr–Aug |
| Indiana | 126 | June | May–Oct |
| Colorado | 114 | July | Jun–Sep |
| West Virginia | 109 | June | May–Oct |
| Missouri | 98 | May | May–Jun |
| Mississippi | 96 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Alabama | 73 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Iowa | 68 | July | May–Sep |
| Delaware | 65 | May | May–Jul |
| Arkansas | 60 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Georgia | 52 | April | Apr–May |
| Montana | 47 | June | Jun–Sep |
| Idaho | 46 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Wyoming | 41 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Louisiana | 38 | April | Mar–May |
| Kansas | 36 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 35 | June | May–Sep |
| District of Columbia | 34 | May | May–May |
| Utah | 34 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Alaska | 27 | August | Jul–Aug |
| South Dakota | 27 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Nebraska | 18 | June | Jun–Sep |
| North Dakota | 15 | June | Jun–Sep |
| New Mexico | 13 | June | Jun–Oct |
| South Carolina | 9 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Oklahoma | 8 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Florida | 5 | June | Jun–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Legumes)
White Clover
Texas bluebonnet
Bird's-Foot Trefoil
Rose Clover
Tomcat Clover
American hog-peanut
Purple Crownvetch
Partridge Pea
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Red Clover?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from May to October.
Where is Red Clover most often seen?
The most observations come from California, New York, Vermont.