Red clover is a short-lived, low-growing perennial in the bean family often found growing in meadows, pastures and wayside patches of earth. It is an important foraging crop for livestock and various wildlife, as well as a source of nectar for honeybees. Because the plant fixes nitrogen, it is cultivated as a “green manure” crop to improve poor soil conditions.
In herbalism, red clover is regarded as a tonic herb for women. It is frequently used in traditional Chinese and Indian wellness systems. Combined with burdock, slippery elm and turkey rhubarb, red clover is an ingredient in the classic Essiac herbal tea formula.
