Why you should find a four-leaf clover
Four-leaf clovers are rare – and considered lucky charms.
But when was the last time you found one? Maybe you've often searched for one – walking through meadows, curiously looking down.
And maybe at some point you asked yourself: Do they really exist – or is it just a myth?
In this article, you'll learn what's behind this lucky symbol, where the belief comes from – and how you can wear a real four-leaf clover as a piece of jewelry.
Yes, I was curious about that too!
I did some reading and found out some exciting things about four-leaf clovers.
Follow me into an exciting story about Celtic druids, paradise, and a wonderful plant with many hidden powers.
Finding a four-leaf clover – is it really possible?
The answer is: Yes!
You can find a four-leaf clover, but they are very rare. In fact, most clover varieties have leaves with three leaflets. How often four-leaf clovers occur has not been definitively scientifically clarified, but a probability of 1:10,000 is assumed. Rather bleak prospects for your personal search for luck, don't you think? Well, if you consider that often entire meadows are covered with clover, one could say: On every larger meadow, such a lucky clover should actually be found. And not only that: Clovers with five, six or more leaves are also known. In fact, the Guinness Book of Records describes a clover with 56 leaflets!
The Japanese Shigeo Obara was the exceedingly lucky one who found this incredible clover in 2009. By the way: Did you know that clover has been known since ancient times and occurs naturally all over the world (with the exception of Australia and Antarctica)?
245 clover varieties are known! And already in the ancient Orient among the Persians and among the Celtic druids, clover was considered a divine plant.
Clover as a magic plant
Four-leaf clovers, according to ancient sagas and legends, are said to not only bring a happy life: In the fairy tale "The Rooster Beam" by the Brothers Grimm, a girl is the only one in a crowd of spectators to recognize a magician's trick because she had previously found a four-leaf clover. The leaf gave her the ability to see through shoddy magic tricks, i.e., to always see the truth.
From Greece, the belief is handed down that anyone who possesses such a lucky clover will be led to buried treasures with it. It is also said that the clover protects against severe diseases.
In Russia, the four leaves of the clover stand for fame, wealth, love, and health, which are said to be bestowed upon the finder.
And in Ireland, too, four-leaf clovers are said to have a supernatural effect: whoever finds such a rare leaf can attract fairies, who otherwise live hidden.
So, if you ask me: It all sounds attractive to my ears!
The Transfer to Christianity
The Christian missionaries of the early Middle Ages adopted many symbols and beliefs from the Germanic and Celtic peoples to make conversion to their faith more appealing. Thus, we also find four-leaf clovers in Christian symbolism: Here they stand for the four evangelists Luke, Matthew, Mark, and John. There is also a legend that Eve took such a clover as a memento when she was driven out of paradise. So, if you find your lucky leaf, you hold a piece of paradise in your hand.
Clover in Architecture
If you enjoy looking at medieval churches and houses, you know that the old walls are full of symbols and images. You can also find our lucky clover in buildings that belong to the Gothic style. This is the tall, slender architectural style used from 1200 to 1500. The famous Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is a wonderful example of this.
In Gothic buildings, you sometimes find windows in the shape of a four-leaf clover. Since the symbolism in churches always had to do with the Bible, it can be assumed that this window shape was intended to refer to the four evangelists. But who knows whether one or more builders also considered their window a personal lucky charm?
Vibrant, indestructible, invigorating
In addition to all the wonderful and legendary powers of clover, this plant also has very practical properties, which may have contributed to why we humans have always admired and loved clover.
Clover grows on almost any soil. It spreads quickly and transforms a barren landscape into a lush, blooming meadow in no time. Already in "Meyer's Great Encyclopedia" from 1905, it was described how clover is used in fields to improve soil quality and protect grain from weed overgrowth: clover was simply sown on rye, oat, and barley fields. Practical, isn't it? And completely environmentally friendly!
In medicine, research on clover is unfortunately not yet advanced enough to offer it as a safe medicine. There are traditions, especially concerning its positive support during menopause. It has also been proven that clover contains valuable vitamins and trace elements. But unfortunately, there are also some side effects that are not yet fully clarified. Knowledge about clover mainly comes from folk medicine, and here too there are reports from many different countries about the healing application of clover. In traditional Chinese medicine, this plant is even used against cancer! I very much hope that one day we will know more about it.
Did you find a lucky clover?
Here's how to preserve it
If you're lucky enough to find a four-leaf clover, you'll naturally want to keep it as long as possible.
You probably already know the method of pressing leaves?
You place your clover between some newspaper so that it doesn't crease. Then you weigh it down with books and let it press and dry for at least a week. Afterward, you've saved your lucky charm from wilting for a long time.
However, pressing and drying has the disadvantage that the leaflet becomes brittle. But there are also some small crafting ideas and home remedies for this:
Laminate your clover
To protect your clover, you can enclose it in film. Cut adhesive film from the craft store into two equal parts. Carefully place your clover on the adhesive side of the first film and then place the adhesive side of the second film on top. Smooth it out – done!
My crafting tip: Perhaps the luck will double if you also cut the film into the shape of a four-leaf clover? It's worth a try, I think, and it certainly looks nice!
A pendant from your four-leaf clover
If you want to carry your luck with you from now on, I will gladly make a pendant from your self-found four-leaf clover in silver or silver-plated gold.
To do this, you pack your clover immediately after picking it in a plastic bag and send it to me as quickly as possible.
You can find the exact instructions in this article.
Preserve your clover in wax
With colorless wax, you can carefully coat your clover and protect it from decay. To do this, simply heat wax in a water bath until it melts. Then, dip your little lucky charm through the liquid wax and let it air dry briefly. Caution: Please do not place it on newspaper, as the hot wax will stick immediately!
Preserve your clover in synthetic resin
If you prefer something more substantial, you can also cast your lucky clover in synthetic resin. For this, you need a plastic mold, for example, an empty spread container or a discarded sand mold. First, brush it with a mold release agent so that the synthetic resin can be easily removed from the mold later. Now, mix the synthetic resin with a suitable hardener in a disposable cup. You can best ask for advice on which one to use at a craft store. Let the mixed resin mass stand for 10 minutes to prevent air bubbles from forming. Then, hold your clover with tweezers in the mold and carefully pour in the synthetic resin. Let it harden and finally, you can remove it from the mold and polish it a little with sandpaper.
