Everything you need to know about the four-leaf clover
Clover belongs to the botanical group Fabaceae like peas and beans, and this family is characterized by pod-shaped fruits. It is a classic plant with three leaves, but when we hear “four-leaf clover”, we immediately remember our childhood, when we looked for it everywhere in our garden, because it brings luck.
What is a four-leaf clover?
The four-leaf clover is a rare mutation of the white clover or creeping clover which is the most common variety. Sure, it’s a genetic anomaly, but that doesn’t mean the plant isn’t healthy. Botanically, this clover has 4 leaflets, but not 4 leaves. The leaf blade is divided into several leaflets, and in the case of the four-leaf clover, each leaflet is heart-shaped. It is so uncommon, that there is only a one in 10,000 chance of finding it in nature. Like the horseshoe and the rabbit’s foot, the four-leaf clover symbolizes good fortune. It gives the person who discovers it luck, it is protected and blessed by the Gods. Note that there are also clovers with five or six leaves, but the record is the 56-leaf clover, planted in the land of the Rising Sun by Shigeo Obara and harvested in 2009. In the shops, you can find kits that allow you to grow a four-leaf clover. It is in fact red clover which is also called oxalis. This plant has a leaf composed in the heart of four leaflets of green and dark red color. However, for its development, certain conditions must be met: humid and mild spring climate and calcareous soil.
A return to the past
Many legends surround the four-leaf clover. In the West, it is considered a good luck charm. Pagan legend states that each leaf has a meaning: fame, wealth, love and health. In the Christian tradition, each leaf has its own virtue: hope, faith, charity and luck. But the legend also says that the three-leaf clover represents God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In Ireland, the three-leaf clover also called “shamrock” comes from the Gaelic past of the island, especially from the evangelization by Patrick who is the famous Saint Patrick at the beginning of the 5th century. During his mission, Patrick wished to educate the Irish on the Trinity. To do this, he took a shamrock and compared it to God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), and it had such an impact that the image of the three-leaf clover became the emblem of the country. Despite all the beliefs around the four-leaf clover, its rarity makes it popular as a good luck charm.
The four-leaf clover as a good luck charm
The four-leaf clover has been considered a magic clover or universal good luck charm for centuries because of its rarity. It brings good luck to the person who finds it, it allows to free oneself from all hindrances and enchantments, it can even break spells or send them back to the sender. It scares away evil spirits and allows the person who finds it to feel the presence of demons. For information, the number four is the sign of the earth, it symbolizes protection and blessing. Some people say that wearing it attracts love, hope, liver and luck. Currently, many people look for four-leaf clover in the middle of their lawns or in the meadows. But it can also be grown to give a boost to luck. It’s easy to grow, and you don’t need to have a green thumb. The four-leaf clover kit can be given to someone who is down on their luck.
