Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This holiday, which began centuries ago as the feast day of St. Patrick (the patron saint of Ireland) has become a day in which everyone gets to be Irish.
The shamrock is a symbol that is commonly associated with St. Patrick’s Day and with Ireland. It is often seen all over décor, representing the rebirth of spring. Shamrock is a Gaelic word meaning “little clover”.
Clover, also known as trefoil, is the common name for various species of plants in the Trifolium family. It is estimated that there are around 300 different species of clovers found throughout much of the world.
Perhaps the most distinguishable feature of clovers are their alternate compound leaves, which usually have three smaller leaflets.
Occasionally, clovers have four leaflets which are considered to be lucky. It is claimed that there are approximately 10,000 three leaf-clovers for every four-leave clover.
In any case, a clover must have three leaves to be considered a shamrock. If the clover has more or less, then it is not a shamrock. Hence, all shamrocks are clovers, but not all clovers are shamrocks.
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, in Canada, red clover, white or Dutch clover, and alsike clover and crimson clover are grown.
Farmers plant clover to improve soil quality and reduce the need for artificial fertilizers. Livestock owners grow clover to provide nutrient-dense forage for grazing animals whereas gardeners seed clover to attract beneficial insects.
Red clover (Trifolium pratense L) is the most widely grown of all the true clovers. This is a short-lived perennial that can be used as a cover crop, as well as haylage.
As a cover crop, red clover provides many benefits such as fixing nitrogen (N) to meet needs of the following crop, protecting soil from erosion, improving soil tilth, competing with weeds and supply forage needs.
Clovers are highly palatable to livestock and is high in protein, phosphorus, and calcium, providing valuable nourishment in either the green or the dry stage.
Red clover haylage can be a good alternative to alfalfa. In areas where alfalfa production is limited due to frequent winterkill and poor damage, red clover better tolerates imperfect drainage and lower pH levels.
Fun Facts about Clovers
- In Irish weddings, clover may be included in the bride’s bouquet and the groom’s boutonniere for luck
- Red clover plants can grow up to 20 inches tall
- The Celts of Whales kept white clover around to ward off evil spirits
- The four leaves of four-leaf clovers are said to stand for faith, hope, love, and luck
- The record for the most leaflets on a clover is 56 – set on May 10, 2009, by a Japanese farmer named Shigeo Obara