The science and secrets of four-leaf clovers | Around the Yard and Garden (2024)

FAQs

What is the science behind 4 leaf clovers? ›

Whereas human chromosomes come in matched pairs, clovers have four copies of each chromosome per cell. The gene responsible for four-leaf clovers is 'recessive', which means that the plant will only produce four leaves if it has the four-leaf gene on all four chromosomes, which is a rare occurrence.

In a dense patch of white clover, a four-leafer lurks in an area of less than fifteen square feet (on average). Find a thick patch and slowly brush your hand over the surface. The center of a four-leaf clover has a different shape and the fourth leaf is often smaller than the others.

According to the legend, the leaves of a four-leaf clover represent hope, faith, love, and a fourth for good luck. A common belief during the Middle Ages was if someone carried a four-leaf clover, they would have the ability to see fairies.

Another reason for clovers with four leaves instead of three is due to plant breeding. New strains of the plant are biologically bred to produce more four leaf clovers. I guess that could explain why there seem to be lots more, or at least a lot easier to find.

You do have some options. Herbicides with chelated iron (FeHEDTA) kill broadleaf weeds like clover through iron toxicity. Your grass (and grassy weeds) will be unharmed — they may become greener, even — because they handle iron better. However, you will likely need to spray multiple times a season to fully kill clover.

The transition from a religious and mystical symbol to a secular emblem of luck occurred over centuries, with the four-leaf clover appearing in art, literature, and popular culture. Its meaning expanded to include not just protection or divine favor but also hope, love, and success.

The fourth leaf can be smaller, or a different shade of green, than the other three. If you're the superstitious type, give your four-leaf clover to someone else. It's said that this will double your good luck.

Walk around areas with a lot of leaves and trees, like parks and trials, to seek out clover patches. If you have a backyard, look there as well. Clovers often grow in lawns.

Beginners should scan the edge of a patch, where the plants are less dense. Don't get up close and start counting individual leaves. Instead, visually skim for what Hirst calls “ruptures in the pattern” — a four-leaf clover makes the shape of a square, while the typical three-leaf version appears as a triangle.

As Adam and Eve were leaving the Garden of Eden, Eve is said to have plucked a single four-leafed clover as a souvenir of paradise, and this religious connection has led to them being considered lucky ever since.

What should I do with a four-leaf clover? ›

Place it underneath your pillow: Sleeping with a four-leaf clover underneath your pillow is believed to bring you happiness and luck, she says.

Today, most commonly each leaf of the clover still represents the four meanings of faith, hope, love and luck. There are those still who perceive it in a religious sense of the trinity and god's grace.

Plant Scientists Can Breed Four-Leaf Clovers

While we don't know the exact gene responsible for four-leaf clovers, that hasn't stopped plant breeders. Some, including Vincent Pennetti, a graduate student at the same lab that discovered the gene's location, have produced varieties with four or even five leaflets.

According to Parade.com, Four-leaf clovers are considered lucky for their rarity. In the Middle Ages, it was believed by some Celtic groups that wielding a four-leaf clover would help you see fairies, as well as to ward off evil spirits and grant the holder good luck.

Low nitrogen levels

Clover is a legume, so it fixes nitrogen from the air and effectively gives itself a fertilizer boost. Turfgrass doesn't have that luxury. While grass struggles to survive, clover thrives in areas with low nitrogen. In fact, it's an indicator plant for low-nitrogen soil.

The leaves of four-leaf clovers are said to stand for faith, hope, love, and luck. It's often said that Ireland is home to more four-leaf clovers than any other place, giving meaning to the phrase “the luck of the Irish.” If you're lucky enough to find a four-leaf clover, look for more!

According to Irish tradition, those who find a four-leaf clover are destined for good luck, as each leaf in the clover symbolizes good omens for faith, hope, love, and luck for the finder.

The four-leaf clover is a symbol of luck, so use it to wish good luck to your friends and family members. You can also use this emoji in the context of nature, plants, Ireland, and St Patrick's day. Example: Wish me good luck for the upcoming swimming competition🍀.

What you might not know about this so-called "lucky plant" is that in addition to being a common ground covering, clover is often used as a medicinal herb. Clover is both edible and potentially beneficial to your health. You can eat the leaves in salad or boil the blossoms to make tea.