We have seen on Page 1 that the three leaves of the "shamrock" represent the three persons of the Trinity. But what of the notion that four leaf clovers are lucky charms? Since the operative number here is four, the history behind four leaf clovers as lucky charms must be clearly distinct from the Trinitarian tradition behind the shamrock. Indeed, it is widely believed (although I can't cite the ancient sources to back it up) that the significance invested in four leaf clovers pre-dates Christianity, going back to the pagan period, when four leaf clovers were Celtic charms.
Celtic dominance once extended across Ireland and much of Western Europe. It was the Druids (Celtic priests) who elevated four leaf clovers to the status of Celtic charms, allegedly potent against malevolent spirits. Their status as Celtic charms is the origin of the modern belief in their power to bestow good luck.
The leaves of four leaf clovers are sometimes said to stand for faith, hope, love, and luck. But another interpretation is widely known via the following verse:
I'm looking over a four-leaf clover
That I overlooked before.
One leaf is sunshine, the second is rain,
Third is the roses that grow in the lane.
No need explaining the one remaining
Is somebody I adore.
I'm looking over a four-leaf clover
That I overlooked before.
Oxalis Deppei as a "Four Leaf Clover" Substitute?
Nowadays one can take the easy route to finding "four leaf clovers." Oxalis deppei is widely sold as the "good luck plant," because it bears a leaf that always has four leaflets. However, as already noted, plants from the Oxalis genus are not true clovers, only clover look-alikes. Besides, when that fourth leaflet is automatic, how could it possibly hold its own with a true Celtic charm? Oxalis deppei strikes me as being suitable for gags only; there's not an ounce of romance in this phenomenon....
Considering the St. Patrick's Day traditions surrounding shamrocks and four leaf clovers, it is surprising that the clover is often looked upon as a weed, the killing of which we deem central to the care of our lawns. But it was not always so. Indeed, the University of Minnesota Extension Service points out that, until relatively recently, it was standard practice to include clover seed in lawn seed mixes:
"Until the 1950s, clover was included in lawn seed mixes as it was regarded as a prestigious lawn plant. It may be considered an attractive, low-maintenance ground cover that is soft to walk on, mows well and will fill in thin spots in a yard."
Landscaping enthusiasts believe in making their own luck through solid decision-making, rather than relying on Celtic charms and the proverbial "luck of the Irish." The information on Page 3 may not send you scurrying to find any four leaf clovers. But it may make you re-think your attitude toward your lawn....
