4 Fun Facts About Four Leaf Clovers

There’s a reason why one of the most popular symbols of St. Patrick’s Day is the four leaf clover. For centuries, the rare little clover has been used as a good luck charm.

Known for their “magical” ability to keep evil spirits away and prevent bad luck, four leaf clovers were said to have been carried by Ireland’s Celtic ancestors. It’s even said that the phrase “The Luck of the Irish” refers to the fact that Ireland is home to the most four leaf clovers on the planet.

Even though the three-leafed shamrock is the true symbol of St. Patrick’s Day, four leaf clovers have been known to steal the spotlight. Here are 4 fun facts about the good luck charm.

Exactly How Rare Are Four Leaf Clovers?

It’s typically said that you have a 1-in-10,000 chance of finding a four leaf clover. This is based on a general scientific estimate. People have actually been known to find several four leaf clovers growing right in their yard or garden, while others have searched many fields without stumbling on a single lucky charm.

Of course, in the search for four leaf clovers, some people are just luckier than others. According to Guinness World Records, the current record holder for the most four leaf clovers found is held by Edward Martin Sr, who picked the vast majority of his 111,060 four leaf clovers in Alaska.

What Country Has the Most Four Leaf Clovers?

Many people think the phrase “The Luck of the Irish” stems from the idea that there are more four leaf clovers in Ireland than anywhere else in the world. Such a thing would be difficult to verify, and there definitely have been quite a few lucky charms found in other parts of the globe.

More importantly, the term “The Luck of the Irish” doesn’t mean what most people think it means. It actually first appeared in America during the Gold Rush.

Did Abraham Lincoln Carry A Four Leaf Clover?

One of the most popular facts about four leaf clovers is that Abraham Lincoln carried a four leaf clover at all times. According to the popular legend, President Lincoln forgot to bring his good luck charm with him to Ford’s Theatre on the night he was assassinated.

He isn’t the only famous leader in history linked to the four leaf clover. It’s also believed that Napoleon luckily avoided an assassination attempt by bending down to pick one.

Where Does That Fourth Leaf Come From?

If you’re wondering why four leaf clovers are so rare, you’d have to look at their genetic traits. According to researchers, the regular three leaf clover (one of hundreds of clover species, and known as Trifolium repens, or the “white clover”) actually possess a gene that allows for a fourth leaf to grow.

However, these clovers also have a more dominant gene that thwarts the fourth leaf from sprouting. Only rarely do fourth leaves break free.


15 Responses

  1. Pam says:

    I have found several four leaf clovers in my lifetime. I actually found them in the same place in my parents yard over 38 years.

  2. Pamela Smith says:

    GREAT

  3. MaryAnn says:

    I have found a few in my time and right in our back yard. Always exciting when we did! ☺️

  4. Tim says:

    In addition to many four leaf clovers, also have found a couple of fives, and one six (with puny little leaves).

  5. Madison says:

    I have never found a four leaf clover 🙁

  6. Anna Marks says:

    Clover works well in a salad. That and I use my clover as a personal talisman! Woo hee says the rabbit as it dines on a meal of everlasting and fresh clover.

  7. Lani says:

    I have found my first ever 4 leaf clover. I always go out of my way to look for one when I see clover growing always in my put plants. This time I got lucky. Am stoke!

  8. Why do I even have to write this? says:

    I found 8 leaved clover (five normal leaves and three teeny tiny little leaves)
    Also 2 five leaved and 15 four leaved.

  9. -Orb says:

    I was searching for images of four leafed clovers on google and I came across the picture at the top of this blog. I am the one who took this picture and I would like for you to include my photo credit at the bottom of the picture.

    Thank you -Orb

    • Laura Hayes says:

      Hello,

      After double-checking the source of that image, it’s confirmed that we obtained it from Adobe Stock. This stock image was listed as fair use for blog posts without credit required. If your image was unfairly released to Adobe Stock, you should file a report to them directly – we have no control over their gallery of images. That being said, we have updated the main image to a different stock photo to prevent further confusion.

      Thank you.

      • -Orb says:

        It’s okay that you used it I just wanted you to put my name under the picture so I had the credit of taking the picture.

  10. In my Hobart garden[Tasmania], it the early 1980s,I found a patch of 20+ four leaf clovers, three five leafed ones and a six leaf one. I laid them flat in a large heavy Surgical textbook and covered them with special paper. They stayed there, in the book for 40years and, at age 82[ four years ago], I laminated all of them on individually prepared personal cards and gave one each to our five ”children”[ages 55,53,48,45 and42] and one each to our 13 Grandchildren[ages 6 to 25].
    I still retain the first one I found, [laminated of course], ….it has remained in my wallet at all times and has travelled through sixteen different countries and to every State and Territory in Australia.

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