Surely if you have ever found a four-leaf clover you have thought "This will give good luck!" or "This means I'm really lucky". And yes, for some reason this plant has always been associated with magical properties that are capable of attracting good energies and removing the bad ones from our environment. Keep in mind that it is a very rare species and, therefore, when someone finds it, they think it is by fate and consider it a good luck charm. But where does this belief come from?
Scientifically speaking, the four-leaf clover is a rare mutation of white clover, which is the most common species, so the belief that they are really hard to find is entirely true. In fact, it's so rare that there's only a one in 10,000 chance of finding a four-leaf clover in the wild.
But it's the legend behind it that makes it even more fascinating.
The story behind the four-leaf clover
According to pagan legends, each leaf has a meaning. The first would bring fame, the second leaf would bring us wealth, the third love, and the fourth health.
But in the Christian and Catholic tradition each leaf corresponds rather to a virtue. The first sheet is for hope, the second is for faith, and the third is for charity; the fourth leaf would therefore be lucky. It is also said that it would be in the image of God: a single plant with three lobes, which represents the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
But despite these theological explanations, it is more likely that it is simply the rarity of the four-leaf clover that has earned it a reputation as a lucky charm.
And let's not forget that we can also find clovers with five or six leaves. The record is one of 56 leaves! Cultivated in Japan by Shigeo Obara, who was chosen as a Guinness World Record in 2009.
Are you feeling lucky this Saint Patrick's Day?
