Does Marsilea vestita produce flowers?

No. As a fern, Marsilea vestita reproduces by spores held inside small hard structures called sporocarps rather than by flowering.

How much water does hairy clover fern need?

It grows best with consistently high moisture and often roots in shallow standing water such as vernal pools, ditches, or pond edges, though it can tolerate periods of drying between soggy spells.

What light conditions suit this fern?

Hairy clover fern does well in full sun to part sun, especially when its roots stay wet, since the floating or emergent fronds need decent light to photosynthesize.

Is Marsilea vestita evergreen?

It is deciduous in practice. The clover like fronds die back as water recedes or temperatures drop, then regrow from the rhizome when conditions turn wet again.

Is Hairy Clover Fern HOA-friendly?

Hairy Clover Fern takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Hairy Clover Fern

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Marsilea vestita

Last reviewed: August 2026

Marsilea vestita is a small aquatic fern with clover shaped fronds that grows in vernal pools, ditches, and shallow pond margins across the western and southern United States. It produces spores in hard sporocarps rather than flowers.

Toxicity unknown

Hairy Clover Fern (Marsilea vestita) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part sun

Water

high

Size

2"–8" H × 4"–12" W

Bloom

N/A

Native to

AL, AR, AZ, CA and 20 more states

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Marsilea vestita is a small aquatic fern that forms low carpets of distinctive four-leaflet clover-like fronds. This native species requires consistently moist to wet soil conditions and thrives in boggy areas, pond edges, or water gardens. The compact growth habit creates an interesting ground cover texture in specialized moisture-loving landscapes.

Growing Hairy Clover Fern

Grow Hairy Clover Fern in part sun and high water. Mature plants reach 2 to 8 inches tall and spread 4 to 12 inches wide. Expect high maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Hairy Clover Fern takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Requires specialized wet conditions that look messy in dry periods
Unfamiliar appearance may be mistaken for weeds
Cannot survive in typical maintained landscape conditions

Wildlife value

As a fern, this species provides habitat for small invertebrates and amphibians in wetland settings. The dense mat formation offers shelter for beneficial insects and contributes to aquatic ecosystem health.

Common questions

Does Marsilea vestita produce flowers?: No. As a fern, Marsilea vestita reproduces by spores held inside small hard structures called sporocarps rather than by flowering.
How much water does hairy clover fern need?: It grows best with consistently high moisture and often roots in shallow standing water such as vernal pools, ditches, or pond edges, though it can tolerate periods of drying between soggy spells.
What light conditions suit this fern?: Hairy clover fern does well in full sun to part sun, especially when its roots stay wet, since the floating or emergent fronds need decent light to photosynthesize.
Is Marsilea vestita evergreen?: It is deciduous in practice. The clover like fronds die back as water recedes or temperatures drop, then regrow from the rhizome when conditions turn wet again.
Is Hairy Clover Fern HOA-friendly?: Hairy Clover Fern takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

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