Trifolium repens Estelle

Trifolium repens 'Estelle' is a variety of ornamental clover. Around a green heart bordered in black, its rounded leaflets have a soft red colour, with a tender green edge. It forms a decorative, worry-free and easy-to-grow ground cover, ideal for borders or pots. It prefers a sunny location where its colours will be more intense and moist to wet soil. It briefly flowers in the summer, with whitish-green spikes. Avoid planting it with plants that have delicate root systems, as it can be a bit suffocating.

Clovers (Trifolium) belong to the large family of legumes. The genus includes nearly 200 species found on all continents, except for Australia. Trifolium repens is native and widespread throughout Europe, as well as in North America, except for boreal zones. This perennial adapts to all types of soils, including limestone and clay. The 'Estelle' variety has soft, slightly muted colours in a mix of soft red, green and black-brown. The plant forms a carpeting, dense clump, reaching 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8in) high and spreading over time through creeping stems that root at the nodes. The unassuming flowers appear in June-July. The pleasantly scented small flowers, whitish-green and sometimes pinkish, measure 1 cm (0in) long. They are upright and gathered in heads that are initially rounded, then oval, at the end of floral stems just above the foliage. The foliage is more or less evergreen in winter, composed of leaves divided into 4 entire, rounded leaflets with toothed margins, ranging in colour from red to tender green at the heart. The pod contains seeds that easily self-sow in light soil.

Trifolium repens 'Estelle' can be used as an ornamental ground cover plant in sunny containers, with annuals or taller perennials in a range of colours, alongside the colourful foliage of morning glories or spiderworts, for example. In the garden, it is useful as a low-maintenance ground cover in hard-to-reach areas. It can also advantageously replace lawns in less trafficked areas. In containers, regular watering is necessary. Its natural charm works well in borders and rustic flower bedswith perennials in red, green, and purple hues. Avoid associating it with less vigorous perennials, especially alpine perennials, as it will dominate them.