Clovers, also known as trefoils, have been the most iconic symbolic images for St. Patrick’s Day for centuries. Consisting of over 300 species, it is most likely you will not see a clover like another, for they tend to always be unique. Commonly, clovers have 3 leaflets; however, if you are lucky, you may find a 4 leaf clover. The chances of finding a 4 leaf clover is very rare —s a probability of 1 in 5,000 to 10,000. The traditional Irish symbol, a shamrock, a 3 leaf clover, speculated to be designed by Saint Patrick for the Holy Trinity, is most notably associated with clovers. However, clovers and shamrocks are not the same. While clovers can have 2, 3, or 4 leaflets, a shamrock can only have 3. Therefore, all shamrocks are clovers but not all clovers are shamrocks.
The clover was first domesticated in the year 1000 in Spain but quickly became urbanized across Europe. Clovers were used for crop rotations as they became a significant factor in replacing the fixed nitrogen (nitrogen gas that has been converted to ammonia) exported to cities as food. Clovers were so effective that the agricultural production of the late 19th century doubled from the previous century. In addition, clovers were widely used across Europe as food for livestock. Since clovers grow in bunches, it made it easy for farmers to grow them and use them as food for larger livestock such as cows and goats. However, since clover was so widely used and traded amongst agriculturalists, it soon spread to different parts of the world and became an invasive species.
Although clover is not as significant as it used to be, it still has a role in modern society. Many animals, like bears, rabbits, and birds, still feast on clovers today. Clovers can also provide nutritious vitamins and minerals for humans. The seeds from the blossoms of clovers can be used to make tea, which provides an abundance of nutrients.
As spring approaches be sure to keep your eyes out for 4 leaf clovers, you may get lucky!