A clover lawn is composed of clover and can be used as an alternative to grass lawns. It requires less maintenance than a traditional lawn, uses less water, is more heat-tolerant, and fixes its own nitrogen using symbiotic bacteria in its root nodules, removing the need to fertilize. It is less robust to foot traffic than grass, and can stain clothes if bruised. Clover can be oversown on grass if some grass in the lawn is acceptable. If the variety chosen does not self-seed efficiently in place, it may need resowing every few years. If grown continually, it may be susceptible to clover sickness.
White clover is the plant most frequently used, sometimes in dwarf cultivars such as 'Pirouette' and 'Pipolina'. Red clover is also used, but is less resistant to treading, cropping, and disease, and needs more frequent reseeding. Tall crimson or incarnate clover, and shorter, more shade-tolerant strawberry clover, are also used.
