What Causes Four Leaf Clovers And How To Find A Four Leaf Clover (2024)

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What Causes Four Leaf Clovers And How To Find A Four Leaf Clover? ›

Four leaf clovers are believed to be mutations of the white clover. They are also said to be quite uncommon, with only about 1 in 10,000 plants producing a clover with four leaves. (I would argue with that since we seem to find them regularly.) The number of leaflets on clovers is genetically determined.

In a dense patch of white clover, a four-leafer lurks in an area of less than fifteen square feet (on average). Find a thick patch and slowly brush your hand over the surface. The center of a four-leaf clover has a different shape and the fourth leaf is often smaller than the others.

Its relative rarity (1 in 5,000 clovers) suggests a possible recessive gene appearing at a low frequency. Alternatively, four-leaf clovers could be caused by somatic mutation or a developmental error of environmental causes.

Let us help you find your “lucky” four-leafed clover … with science! First, you need to find the perfect place. You can find around 200 clovers in a plot of clover-growing grass or field that spreads about one-square foot, which means that a space of about 12-square feet should contain a four-leaf clover.

Whereas human chromosomes come in matched pairs, clovers have four copies of each chromosome per cell. The gene responsible for four-leaf clovers is 'recessive', which means that the plant will only produce four leaves if it has the four-leaf gene on all four chromosomes, which is a rare occurrence.

It's estimated that you only have about a 1 in 10,000 chance of finding a four-leaf clover. That's already a pretty rare find, so imagine how much rarer a five-leaf clover must be. Some estimate that your chances of finding a five-leaf clover is about 1 in 100,000!

According to The Weather Network, a four-leaf clover is rare, and difficult to find. A quick Google search said the odds are 1 in 10,000, but a 2017 study says chances are much better, with a 1 in 5,000 chance. Inside Science also reported 1 in 10,000 odds.

Walk around areas with a lot of leaves and trees, like parks and trials, to seek out clover patches. If you have a backyard, look there as well. Clovers often grow in lawns.

There are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every “lucky” four-leaf clover. There are no clover plants that naturally produce four leaves, which is why four-leaf clovers are so rare.

While the typical clover has only three leaves, the four-leaf variant adds an extra leaflet, resulting in the lucky four-leaf configuration. This rarity is what contributes to the four-leaf clover's status as a symbol of luck.

Is it bad to pick a four-leaf clover? ›

Why are four-leaf clovers lucky? Four-leaf clovers are considered lucky for their rarity. In the Middle Ages, it was believed by some Celtic groups that wielding a four-leaf clover would help you see fairies, as well as ward off evil spirits and grant the holder good luck.

Both the greens and flowers are edible. Dry the flowers for tea, or add to vodka and fruit jellies for a clover infusion. Fresh flowers and greens can be added to salads, co*cktails, and to canapes and desserts for garnish. The flowers taste like raw green beans with just a hint of sweetness, and look just gorgeous.

Grassy weeds, for instance, are typically all called crabgrass. Similarly, weeds that remotely resemble clover are often confused for clover. This is especially true of Oxalis stricta, colloquially known as Oxalis or Yellow Woodsorrel.

The four-leaf clover (officially known as Oxalis deppei) is a small plant with four distinct leaves. It's a rare variation of the common three-leaf clover, and because your chances of finding one with four leaves is about 1 in 10,000, they're considered lucky.

According to the legend, the leaves of a four-leaf clover represent hope, faith, love, and a fourth for good luck. A common belief during the Middle Ages was if someone carried a four-leaf clover, they would have the ability to see fairies.