A clover lawn is composed of clover and can be used as an alternative to grass lawns. It requires less maintenance than a traditional lawn and utilizes less water.[1][2] White clover is the plant most frequently used.[3] Red clover may also be used.[4]
Clover lawns have grown in popularity, along with other grass alternatives, becoming trends shared across social media platforms like TikTok. As a trend, clover lawns gained widespread attention in 2023, being Google's most searched for home improvement.[5] Historically, particularly in the early 1900s, clover was often intentionally included in turf mixes. After the widespread adoption of herbicides for lawn maintenance, clover eventually became undesirable.[3] Then, clover was typically dealt with as a weed before its newfound resurgence.[6]
White clover, commonly used in clover lawns, attracts pollinators and can have a beneficial effect on local nectar production. It is also a nitrogen fixing plant. White clover is able to withstand damp environments and can be desirable in areas prone to flooding.[1] It also functions as groundcover and can reduce a homeowner's reliance on fertilizer, leading to its desirability among environmentally conscious consumers.[7] To maintain a height of about 3 to 4 inches, it can be mowed every four to six weeks.[8] Other homeowners allow the clover to grow taller and only mow it a few times a year.[4] Clover is also more robust in alkaline soils than grass. A technique, when clover is preferred to grass, is achieved by adding lime to the soil to encourage the clover to dominate the lawn.[9] Research conducted in Iran and former usage shows that either alone or mixed with grass it is more resistant to heat and requires less water to be maintained.[2][10]
Clover lawns are vulnerable to anthracnose and are not desirable in grass used for sports due to the leaves causing more slipping than grass.[10] They are functionally desirable for people engaged in urban chicken keeping as they are useful as green forage for the birds.[11]