Hair-foot clover is an annual or biannual in the legume family that is native to Europe and western Asia and is found in all areas of NC. Its common name Hare's-foot clover is a direct reference to its flowers, which resemble a hare's paw or tail. It can easily be identified by its fuzzy flower heads. It is found in sandy soils at the edge of fields, roadways, sand dunes, vineyards and orchards. It is widespread in the eastern and pacific areas of North America. It is a nitrogen-fixation plant and has been used as a cover crop in low-nitrogen soils. Sheep and goats will graze the leaves. It is also considered an invasive plant in other areas. Grows best in sun to partial sun in sandy soils. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant reseeds itself and can become invasive in favorable locations such as sandy disturbed areas. Wind-blown seeds can quickly germinate, allowing the plant to form large colonies. Its hard seed coating allows the seed to overwinter and begin to germinate as the temperatures become favorable. Domestic livestock and horses can develop abdominal obstructions by consuming this plant. It is classified as an invasive species by the NC Invasive Plant Council.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Ascending; Erect
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblong
Leaf margin
Entire; Serrate
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
1/2 to 1-inch long and 1/3 inch wide sessile leaflets in sets of three; soft, silky feel. Margins finely serrated or entire. They have a blunt or rounded tip and taper at the base. The middle is wider than the tip and base.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Long Bloom Season
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Dense, fuzzy, round to cylindrical, grayish pink flower heads arise from the leaf axils and at the tips of the branching stems. The flowers are hidden by the pink/gray calyx.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The fruit is in the form of a pod that remains inside the calyx. Each pod contains 1 seed.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Erect to ascending hairy terete stems that are often multi-branched. Although the stem is typically green it can also have a reddish tint.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe and western Asia
Distribution
Waste places and roadsides
Wildlife value
This plant supports Clouded Sulfur (Colias philodice) larvae which appear from May to October in the North and from March to November in the South. There are 3 flights in the North and 4 to 5 flights in the South. Adult Clouded Sulfur butterflies feed on flower nectar from many different plants. Some animals also use this plant as a food source, such as rabbits, groundhogs, deer, horses, cattle and sheep.