Native to Europe and Asia, naturalized nearly everywhere in the Americas.
Prostrate, mat-forming herbaceous perennial that rarely gets taller than 4 inches.
Fixes nitrogen and provides erosion control
Compound leaves with three or four rounded leaflets
All parts of the plant are edible by both humans and animals; commonly used as a grazing groundcover for livestock.
Supports a wide variety of insects including butterflies and bees.
Grows in nearly all soil conditions, but requires moist soil and at least patial shade.
Hardiness zones 3-10
Sentimental and Symbolic Value
The clover, also known as a shamrock, is a symbol of Ireland and Irish culture. The term comes from the Irish seamróg, meaning "young clover". Legend holds that Saint Patrick, a fifth-century missionary credited with converting the native Celts to Catholicism, used the three-leafed to explain the Holy Trinity. Traditional celebrations of Saint Patrick's feast day, March 17, include wearing a shamrock. This custom made its way to the US during the successive waves of Irish immigration in the 1800s.
The four-leaved clover is a rare variety of Trifolium repens which has four leaves rather than three. It occurs at a rate of approximately 1/5000. The origin of the four-leaved clover's reputation as a symbol of luck is uncertain, but it has carried this meaning since at least the Middle Ages. Some believed that they were gathered by witches to use in rituals.
Specimen photographed found at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Plant History and Etymology
Trifolium is Latin for trefoil or "three-leaved", while repens means "creeping". It is known to have a wide variety of medicinal uses, including treating coughs, colds, fevers, gout and eye infections. It was used as a grazing plant in Europe, Asia and North Africa for centuries before being brought to the US and Australia in the 16th-18th centuries. It has since supplanted most native plants, especially in Australia, as one of the most common and most valuable grazing plants for sheep and cattle livestock as well as wild animals. It is naturalized nearly everywhere where it has been introduced. It is edible raw or cooked, and is used in teas, salads, and flavorings.
Design Considerations
The clover is highly resistant to most common challenges such as fire, grazing, erosion, and foot traffic and it grows very densely and rapidly, making it a good groundcover. Its nitrogen fixing and erosion controlling properties make it a strong candidate for rehabilitating contaminated soils, and protecting slopes and flood-prone areas. Its flowers are white and relatively large, blooming in the spring and summer and producing a faint aroma.
Sources
Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521866453 (hardback), ISBN 9780521685535 (paperback). pp 328, 386
“Trifolium Repens White Clover, Dutch Clover, Purple Dutch Clover, Shamrock, White Clover PFAF Plant Database.” 2017. Pfaf.org. 2017. https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Trifolium+repens.
“Trifolium Repens (Clover, Dutch Clover, Ladino Clover, Purple Dutch Clover, Shamrock, White Clover) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” 2021. Ncsu.edu. 2021. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/trifolium-repens/.
Lane, L. A., J. F. Ayres, and J. V. Lovett. 1997. “A Review of the Introduction and Use of White Clover (Trifolium Repens L.) in Australia —Significance for Breeding Objectives.” Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 37 (7): 831. https://doi.org/10.1071/ea97044.
Greenspan, Rachel E. 2019. “Shamrocks Are Everywhere on St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s How the Three-Leaf Clover Became a Symbol of All Things Irish.” Time. Time. March 15, 2019. https://time.com/5550579/shamrock-history/.
Masters MT. 1869. Vegetable Teratology, An Account of the Principal Deviations from the Usual Construction of Plants. Robert Hardwicke Publisher, London, P 356.