North America Non-native Plant

Boccone’s Clover

Botanical name: Trifolium bocconei

USDA symbol: TRBO10

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

Boccone’s Clover: A Mysterious Member of the Clover Family If you’ve stumbled across the name Boccone’s clover (Trifolium bocconei) in your plant research, you’re not alone in finding limited information about this particular species. This member of the clover family remains something of an enigma in the gardening world, with ...

Boccone’s Clover: A Mysterious Member of the Clover Family

If you’ve stumbled across the name Boccone’s clover (Trifolium bocconei) in your plant research, you’re not alone in finding limited information about this particular species. This member of the clover family remains something of an enigma in the gardening world, with scarce documentation about its characteristics and growing requirements.

What We Know About Boccone’s Clover

Trifolium bocconei belongs to the large and diverse clover genus, which includes hundreds of species found around the world. However, unlike its more famous cousins like white clover or red clover, Boccone’s clover hasn’t made its way into mainstream gardening guides or horticultural databases with detailed growing information.

The Challenge of Limited Information

Here’s where things get interesting (and a bit frustrating for curious gardeners): reliable, specific information about Boccone’s clover is extremely limited. We don’t have clear documentation about its native range, growing conditions, or even its appearance and growth habits.

Should You Plant Boccone’s Clover?

Given the lack of comprehensive information about this species, including its native status, invasive potential, and growing requirements, it’s difficult to make a definitive recommendation about planting Trifolium bocconei. Without knowing its origin or ecological impact, the safest approach is caution.

Better-Known Clover Alternatives

If you’re interested in adding clovers to your garden, consider these well-documented alternatives:

  • White clover – Great for ground cover and attracts pollinators
  • Crimson clover – Beautiful red flowers and nitrogen-fixing abilities
  • Native regional clovers – Check with your local native plant society for species native to your area

The Importance of Native Plant Knowledge

This situation with Boccone’s clover highlights why it’s so important to choose well-documented plants for your garden, especially native species. When we plant native species, we’re supporting local ecosystems, providing food for native wildlife, and working with plants that are naturally adapted to our local conditions.

Moving Forward

If you’re specifically interested in Trifolium bocconei for research purposes or have encountered it in academic literature, we’d recommend consulting with botanical experts or university extension services. For general gardening purposes, focusing on well-documented native clovers in your region will give you the best results and ecological benefits.

Remember, successful gardening often comes down to choosing the right plant for the right place – and that’s much easier to do when we have reliable information about our plant choices!

Boccone’s Clover

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Rosidae

Order

Fabales

Family

Fabaceae Lindl. - Pea family

Genus

Trifolium L. - clover

Species

Trifolium bocconei Savi - Boccone's clover

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA