Clover is a perennial plant widely used in both folk medicine and agriculture. In medicine, its flowers, leaves, and stems possess antipyretic, expectorant, choleretic, immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory, and bactericidal properties. Preparations based on clover are used to treat various diseases, including cough, bronchitis, asthma, gynecological problems, and inflammation. Additionally, clover is used for external application in the form of compresses and poultices for burns, rheumatic pains, and wound healing. The plant is rich in B group vitamins, ascorbic acid, essential oils, coumarins, isoflavonoids, carotene, and folic acid, making it a valuable source of beneficial substances.
In agriculture, clover is one of the most valuable forage crops. Green mass of clover is used to produce silage, pellets, bales, and hay meal with high protein content. Clover hay differs in excellent feed qualities and contains a significant amount of digestible protein, calcium, and carotene. Clover is widely used on pastures in mixtures with cereal crops, providing soft and nutritious feed for various types of livestock. The yield of green mass reaches 300–500 centners per hectare, and hay—40–80 centners. To obtain quality feed, timely mowing at the beginning of flowering is recommended, which promotes rapid regrowth of the plant.
Ornamental and meadow white and red clover are common in temperate climates, including various regions of Russia. White clover is distinguished by its frost resistance, undemanding nature to soils, moisture-loving, and sun-loving characteristics. It is resistant to trampling and grazing, quickly recovers, and improves soil due to symbiosis with root nodule bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen. Clover is also an important nectar source: red clover yields up to 50 kg of honey per hectare, while white clover yields up to 95–100 kg under favorable conditions. Honey obtained from clover is characterized by its white color and aroma, and the plant is actively visited by bees and bumblebees throughout the summer vegetative period.
