Hop CloverHop Clover (Trifolium dubium)
Wild Flowers of Sleepy Hollow Lake From All-Creatures.org Art and Photo Journals and Galleries Directory

Dedicated to the Preservation and Restoration of the Whole of Creation: Humans - Animals - Environment
"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.
And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31)

Hop Clover (Trifolium dubium)
Table of Contents

Hop Clover - 01
(Hop Clover - 01)  Hop clover is a member of the pea family.  There are only four species of yellow clover in the United States, mostly concentrated along the Pacific Coast.  We believe that this species of hop clover, which we found growing in New York is Trifolium dubium, but we had a hard time distinguishing it from other species of hop clover.  From looking at government and university web sites, it seems as though they use the names interchangeably, since the photos and descriptions appear to be the same, and the USDA plant distribution map shows that Trifolium dubium has spread from coast to coast across the United States, and into Eastern and Western Canada. 
Hop Clover - 02
(Hop Clover - 02)  The actual size of this composite hop clover flower cluster is only about one-fourth inch in diameter.  One of the interesting and distinguishable aspects of the hop clover is its ridged, or pleated flower petals; however, we could not see them until we magnified the flowers.
Hop Clover - 03
(Hop Clover - 03)  This is a side view of the hop clover with its branching stem, palmate leaves with three leaflets, and flower cluster.
Hop Clover - 03a
(Hop Clover - 03a)  In this close-up photo of the hop clover leaves, we can see the top of one and the bottom of the other.  Behind the upper leaf is a new hop clover bud.
Hop Clover - 03b
(Hop Clover - 03b)  In this bee's eye side view of the a hop clover flower cluster, we can see the lower flowers beginning to fade as the seeds ripen.  This also allows us to more clearly see the individual flowers of the hop clover's flowering head.
Hop Clover - 05
(Hop Clover - 05)  This is another close-up of a hop clover flower cluster.
Hop Clover - 06
(Hop Clover - 06)  We could not find an accurate description of the hop clover flowers.  It appears that each flower has a larger upper petal that forms a hood over the flower, with either one folded petal or two smaller petals underneath.
Hop Clover - 07
(Hop Clover - 07)  Even in this bee's eye close-up, where we can see the cell structure of the petals, we can not fully identify all the individual flower components.
Hop Clover - 08
(Hop Clover - 08)  We find the intricate and beautiful detail of something this small to be truly amazing.  The hop clover is another example of the Creator's artistry.
Hop Clover - 09
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 09) We had better lighting when we took this photo of the hop clover, so that we were able to get the yellow details of the 1/4 inch diameter blooms.
Hop Clover - 09a
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 09a) In this close up photo, we can clearly see the individual flowers that comprise the 1/4 inch diameter hop clover bloom. 
Hop Clover - 10
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 10) On one of our walks, we encountered this small patch of hop clover growing near the roadside. 
Hop Clover - 11
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 11) This is another photo of the patch of hop clover. 
Hop Clover - 11a
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 11a) In this photo, we can see four stages of the hop clover's lifecycle: a bud cluster next to the left flower, the flowers beginning to open on the lower right, a mature flower on the left, and a flower that has gone to seed on the upper right. 
Hop Clover - 12
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 12) This is another look at the patch of hop clover. 
Hop Clover - 13
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 13) The flower buds of this hop clover are just beginning to open. 
Hop Clover - 13a
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 13a) This is a closer look at the hop clover buds that are beginning to open. 
Hop Clover - 14
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 14) This is another look at a hop clover in bloom. 
Hop Clover - 15
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 15) This is another photo of a hop clover bloom.
Hop Clover - 16
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 16) This is another view of hop clover. 
Hop Clover - 17
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 17) This is another view of the hop clover topped with an open bloom, and with a developing bloom below in the bud stage. 
Hop Clover - 17a
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 17a) In this close up view, we can see several of the individual flowers that form the hop clover bloom. 
Hop Clover - 17b
(Hop Clover - Trifolium dubium - 17b) In this close-up look at a hop clover plant, we can see the details  of the developing flower buds and three-lobed leaf. 

| Hop Clover (Trifolium dubium) | Wild Flowers of SHL: Photo Identification, Common Name, Scientific Name | Art and Photos |

lamb-right lamb-left Presented here are just a few of the countless components of God's creation.  Just as we cannot have human and animal life without water and plants, neither can we have lasting peace without love and compassion.  It is our hope and prayer that this series will motivate people to live and act in a cruelty-free manner; that we would no longer hurt or destroy each other, the animals or our environment.