Stop Pulling This "Weed" From Your Lawn
If you're getting ready to pull weeds from your lawn, you might want to reconsider. While pulling some weeds from your lawn can benefit your lawn's overall health and contribute to an aesthetically pleasing look, getting rid of some plants typically considered weeds can actually do more harm than good. Clover, for example, is a "weed" that you should consider keeping in your lawn.
"Clover is a low-growing, perennial plant commonly found in lawns and gardens across the U.S., especially in moist or nitrogen-depleted soil," says Lakshmy Gopinath, Ph.D., a turfgrass scientist at ScottsMiracle-Gro. "It spreads easily and is recognizable by its small flowers that often attract bees and other pollinators."
Some people are inclined to attempt to remove any clover they see in their garden for several reasons. "People may not like clover because the lawn does not have a manicured look," says Dr. Kimberly Moore, associate center director and professor of environmental horticulture at the University of Florida, IFAS, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. "Clover adds color and texture and gives a less uniform appearance."
We chatted with gardening and horticulture experts to learn more about why keeping clover in your lawn can be beneficial, as well as the types of grass that benefit most from doing so.
1. Clover Can Add Nitrogen
One of the main reasons experts recommend keeping clover in your lawn is that it adds nitrogen (an important fertilizer) to the soil by working with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. "Clover fixes nitrogen, adding nitrogen into the soil," says Amy Highland, curator for the United States Botanic Garden. "So, when you have clover in your turf, you have a natural system that puts nitrogen fertilizer into your soil."
The structure of clover helps support this process. "Clover does not simply ‘emit' nitrogen into the air for nearby grass," explains Jeremy Rhoden, urban & residential horticulture agent and master gardener volunteer coordinator at the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County. "Instead, nitrogen enters the soil system through root turnover, decomposition of plant tissues and the eventual breakdown of roots and nodules. Over time, some of this nitrogen can become available to neighboring plants, including turfgrass."
As a result, you'll most likely find yourself not needing to add fertilizer to your lawn, saving you both time and resources.
2. Clover Nourishes Pollinators
According to Beth R. Bolles, a horticulture educator at UF IFAS Extension Escambia County, clover tends to attract pollinators. If you pull clover from your lawn, you're actively taking away their [pollinators] food source, which provides them with nourishment, and this is why it's important to keep this weed in your lawn. "Removing flowering clover reduces a potential nectar and pollen source for bees and other pollinating insects," adds Rhoden.
3. It Can Prevent Bare Spots
I don't know about you, but one of the last things I want to see in my lawn is a bare spot. That said, Moore notes that refraining from pulling clover from your lawn can not only help prevent erosion, but also help your lawn appear fuller.
Brian Feldman, Senior Director of Technical Operations at TruGreen, adds that it's important to address what's causing so much clover to grow before simply removing all of it from your lawn. While not always the case, Highland notes that removing clover can potentially cause even more weeds to grow.
What Types of Grass Clover Benefits
In terms of what types of grass benefit from clover, Rhoden notes that many types benefit from the presence of this weed. "Any turfgrass growing adjacent to clover could potentially benefit from the gradual contribution of nitrogen to the soil system," says Rhoden. "In Florida, that may include common turfgrasses such as St. Augustinegrass, Bahiagrass, Bermudagrass and Zoysiagrass."
With this in mind, you should not keep clover on your lawn with the hopes of stopping other lawn care practices altogether. Keeping clover on your lawn in conjunction with your current lawn care routine is key.
Additionally, Tabar Gifford, partnership Cultivator and master gardener at American Meadows and High Country Gardens, notes that many cool-season grasses, including Kentucky Bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, can also benefit from clover.
Related: 9 No-Mow Ground Covers for Your Lawn or Garden
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This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 7:15 AM.