Within the species timothy, orchardgrass, and bromegrass, varieties that differ about 10 days in maturity are available. Alfalfa matures early followed by red clover, Viking birdsfoot trefoil, crownvetch, and late-maturing Empire birdsfoot trefoil. When growing forage mixtures, blend species and varieties that are similar in maturity. Several forage species that can be used for pastures are not listed in the 'Forage Varieties' section of this publication. These are noted here with comment about their characteristics and use.
Ladino is a large type of white clover introduced into the United States from Italy.
It makes particularly high-quality pasture for livestock. Ladino does well in years with frequent rains. It has a shallow root system, however, and lacks sufficient drought tolerance to survive prolonged dry spells. Because of bloat hazard and low midsummer yield of ladino, birdsfoot trefoil is a preferred pasture species. Common white Dutch, English wild white, and natural wild white clovers are names given to the small, low-growing strains of white clover.