Yellow woodsorrel, a perennial weed, is usually first noticed when it forms yellow flowers from May through September. The stems are green to purple, erect, branching from the base with alternate leaves that have long petioles. Leaves are clover-like with 3 heart-shaped leaflets. Trifoliate leaf arrangement similar to white clover or black medic (which it is often mistaken for) but leaflets are distinctly heart-shaped; The yellow flowers are borne on long stalks arising from the leaf axils. The seeds are formed in erect capsules that when ripe explosively eject seeds as far away as 12 feet. The root system is shallow and fibrous along the length of long slender white to pink rhizomes.
Creeping woodsorrel (Oxalis) is more prostrate, frequently roots at the nodes and often has leaves with a purple tint, unlike Oxalis stricta. Creeping woodsorrel
Clover is a common plant found in many lawns and fields. It is characterized by its distinct triple leaflets and is appreciated for its ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. However, there are a number of lookalike weeds that can easily be mistaken for clover. Learning to identify these clover mimics is key to proper weed control and maintaining a healthy lawn.
Why Proper Identification Matters
It’s easy to dismiss a weed as clover since clover is generally considered beneficial However, allowing true clover lookalikes to grow unchecked can lead to a takeover and crowd out desirable grass These imposters don’t offer the same soil benefits as clover and some can even be toxic if ingested by kids or pets. Being able to accurately differentiate clover from other three-leaved plants enables you to take appropriate control measures.
Top Clover Mimics
There are a number of common weeds that closely resemble clover. Here are the major clover lookalikes you’re likely to encounter:
Oxalis
Oxalis also called woodsorrel is the plant most often mistaken for clover. It has three heart-shaped leaflets on long stems and blooms with small, yellow, five-petaled flowers. Oxalis spreads rapidly from bulbs underground, making it hard to control.
Black Medic
Black medic starts off looking nearly identical to clover but then produces oval-shaped leaflets with serrated edges on mature plants. It also has clusters of tiny yellow flowers. This annual weed indicates low nitrogen levels in soil.
Hop Clover
Hop clover is a summer annual with three leaflets of varying sizes that resemble clover leaves. It can be identified by the clusters of yellow flowers that form in leaf axils.
Japanese Clover
Despite its name, Japanese clover is not a true clover but is oblong-leaved with pink to purple blooms. It’s a low-growing weed that invades thin, stressed lawns.
Alsike Clover
Alsike clover has three leaflets and white to pale pink flowers. A member of the clover family, it’s considered a weed due to potential toxicity.
White Clover
Though often grouped with weeds, white clover is actually the same Trifolium genus as red and crimson clover. It’s distinguished by its creeping white flowers but shares many benefits with other clovers.
Prevention and Control
The best way to avoid clover lookalikes is to maintain a thick, healthy lawn through proper mowing, fertilizing, watering, and soil conditioning. Also inspect for weeds routinely and hand pull or spot treat when populations are small.
For heavy infestations, applying a selective herbicide containing ingredients like 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, or triclopyr can help control oxalis, medic, hop clover and other broadleaf weeds while leaving grass unharmed. Always follow label directions carefully.
Non-chemical controls like mulching or smothering weeds with cardboard may also be effective, especially in landscape beds. Be persistent, as most clover mimics are difficult to fully eliminate once established.
Key Identification Features
When trying to distinguish clover from lookalikes, check these key characteristics:
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Leaf shape – Clover has oval leaflets while oxalis has heart-shaped leaves. Check for serrated edges which indicate a medic plant.
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Flowers – Clover has round clusters of flowers while oxalis and hop clover have 5-petaled, yellow flowers. Alsike clover has white flowers.
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Leaf arrangement – Does each leaflet have its own individual stem (petiole) like clover? Or do all three leaflets attach to one main stem? Lookalikes often have the latter.
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Growth habit – How does it grow: upright, low to the ground, spreading? Note creeping stems or growth from bulbs which indicates oxalis.
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Preferred conditions – Clover mimics tend to thrive in stressed lawns and landscapes. Take note of the surrounding environment.
When in Doubt, Scout It Out
If an unknown weed shows up, monitor its growth and characteristics before acting. Clover’s doppelgangers can look nearly identical at first but will reveal their differences over time. Proper ID is key to removing imposters while keeping beneficial clover. When in doubt, scout it out!
Conditions that favor growth
Yellow woodsorrel thrives in moist fertile soils but grows under a wide range of conditions.
Maintain healthy, dense turf that can compete and prevent weed establishment.
Hand pulling or using an appropriate weeding tool are the primary means of mechanical weed control in lawns. This is a viable option at the beginning of an infestation and on young weeds. Hand pulling when the soil is moist makes the task easier.
Weed Identification – Identify 21 Common Weeds in Lawn
FAQ
What type of weed looks like clover?
Oxalis, also known as wood sorrel, is a perennial weed that is often mistaken for clover. It is easily distinguished from clover by the 3 heart-shaped leaflets found on top of each long stalk (or petiole) and 5-petaled yellow flowers that bloom from spring through summer.
How do you kill creeping oxalis in your lawn?
Best Weedkiller for Oxalis in a Garden & Lawn
For the control of Oxalis and other annual and perennial weeds growing in the garden, spray with Yates Zero Triple Strike Garden Weedkiller Concentrate – it’s a glyphosate-free weedkiller that kills roots and all. Reapply every 10-14 days if regrowth occurs.
Why is oxalis a problem?
Oxalis is a weed that can cause a real problem in the garden and the lawn as it is easily spread. It is often mistaken for clover, whose leaves are more rounded, whereas oxalis has green, heart-shaped leaves.
What is the plant that resembles clover?
It’s Creeping woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata), a ground-hugging native with distinct clover-like leaves and sunny yellow flowers. It may bloom any time of the year, but it flowers and fruits most in spring. The flowers attract bees, flies and small butterflies.
What weeds look like lawn Clover?
Common lawn weeds that look like lawn clover are Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis), Japanese Clover (Lespedeza), Black Medic (Medicago lupulina). These plants might look like the mighty shamrock, and some are even in the same family, but none of these plants accompany the healthy lawn we want and are considered weeds.
What weeds can be mistaken for Clover?
Here are 10 of the most common weeds that can be mistaken for clover: 1. Oxalis Oxalis, also known as wood sorrel, is likely the weed most often confused with clover It has 3 heart-shaped leaflets on the end of each long stalk and small, 5-petaled yellow flowers that bloom spring through summer.
How do you know if clover is a weed?
Especially mature plants in your lawn that are in high traffic areas or have been mowed several times. One of the easiest ways to tell clover from similar looking weeds like Oxalis is by looking for a whitish crescent in the center of the leaves. Controlling clover is difficult and if possible you should dig them out of landscape beds.
Why does my lawn look like a clover weed?
The most common condition that leads to this clover look-alike is compaction. Something like driving a car over the lawn may compact parts of the soil enough that the black medic might appear. Usually, aeration and amending the compacted area with organic material should be enough to eliminate the weed.
Is white clover a weed?
While many consider white clover to be a weed, it is actually in the same plant family as red and crimson clovers. White clover has 3 oval leaflets and white flowers. It spreads aggressively through lawns. Apply an iron-based herbicide to selectively kill white clover mixed among desirable grass. 3. Creeping Charlie
Are there different types of Clover weeds?
There are primarily two types of clover weeds in lawns: Mixed grass-clover and pure. Due to their durability, mixed grass-clover lawns suit high-traffic areas like playing fields. In contrast, pure clover lawns are ideal for low to medium-traffic areas. How many varieties of clover are there?