Looking Over a Four-Leaflet Clover

With any luck a person may someday discover a four-leaflet clover anywhere the genus Trifolium grows. As the name describes, tri (meaning three) and folium (a leaf), the species of clover traditionally grows with three "leaflets," which, when combined, form each individual leaf. So, to be accurate, the species should be called a four-leaflet clover. On rare occasions, an individual leaf may mutate and grow additional leaflets. There have been accounts of finding clovers with up to eight leaflets comprising the leaf. Much has been made of those occasions when the plant grows four leaflets and the subsequent luck to be garnered from actually discovering and grasping a four-leaflet clover. This unique clover has also come to symbolize faith, hope and love, in addition to its alleged positive luck-inducing capabilities.

Sixteen species of Trifolium have been recorded in Pennsylvania, but only two of these are native and are very rarely seen. Those we are familiar with inhabit lawns, hayfields and many other human influenced habitats.

As spring unfolds, keep four-leaflet clover hunting in mind the next time you are out walking, be it in the country or just around your home. Some species of clover grows just about anywhere and one never knows where a four-leaflet one may grow.

Here are some links on four-leaflet clovers and plant pressing: Clovers Online, and The Pioneer Explorations (make a plant press). Have fun and good luck!

Today's photo was taken by Watershed Assistance Center AmeriCorps (and now lucky) staff member Alysha Trexler in the Buffalo Creek Watershed, Washington County.

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