bush clover

noun

1. any of several plants or shrubs belonging to the genus Lespedeza, of the legume family, having pinnately trifoliate leaves and heads of pink, purple, cream, or white flowers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bush clover¹

An Americanism dating back to 1810–20

Example Sentences

Working Dogs for Conservation has trained dogs to find spotted knapweed in Montana, Chinese bush clover in Iowa, yellow star thistle in Colorado, rosy wolf snails in Hawaii and brown tree snakes in Guam.

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But without the chop — let’s call it the Spring Snip — the bush clover is a splayed beast that prostrates itself before the lawn mower.

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At night the bush clover leaves turn upward, completely changing the aspect of these plants as we know them by day.

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Like the rest of its kin, this bush clover delights in dry soil, particularly in open, sandy places near woods of pine and oak.

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