Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Australian Water Clover, Nardoo

Description:

A charming aquatic perennial presenting attractive, four-leaf clover like leaves that float at water level; great for ponds, or water features; spreads vigorously by rhizomes; highly aggressive, plant in container and thin regularly; does not flower

Ornamental Features

Four Leaf Water Clover's attractive fan-shaped compound leaves emerge buttery yellow in spring, turning bluish-green in colour with prominent brick red stripes and tinges of chartreuse throughout the season on a plant with a spreading habit of growth.

Landscape Attributes

Four Leaf Water Clover is a dense herbaceous annual with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering
• Invasive

Four Leaf Water Clover is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Water Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Four Leaf Water Clover will grow to be only 6 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Four Leaf Water Clover is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.