Planting clover this way is quite distinctive. Would you like it?

Clover Flower Language and Legend

The flower language of clover is happiness.

According to legend, whoever finds a clover with four leaflets, that is, a four-leaf clover (also called a lucky clover), will gain happiness. So in some European countries, people who see clover by the roadside almost always keep it and press it flat so that they can give it to others in the future, expressing their good wishes to friends. One leaf of the four-leaf clover represents prayer, one leaf represents hope, one leaf represents love, and the last leaf represents happiness.

The legendary four-leaf clover was brought to the earth from the Garden of Eden by Eve, and its flower language is happiness. It is also called clover. Usually it has only 3 leaflets, and the chance of finding 4 leaflets is only one in ten thousand, implying the attainment of happiness and the favor of heaven.

Morphological Characteristics of Clover

Clover is a perennial herbaceous plant. The plant is low, 30-40 cm tall. It has a taproot, and the roots have the characteristic of symbiosis with rhizobia. The root's tillering ability and regeneration ability are both strong. It has many branches, and the creeping stems grow along the ground; where the internodes touch the ground, they take root and sprout new buds. Compound leaves with three leaflets; the leaflets are obovate or obcordate, wedge-shaped at the base, blunt or slightly concave at the tip, with fine serrations along the margin, and a "V"-shaped white mark in the center of the leaf surface; stipules are oval and clasp the stem. It flowers in summer and autumn, with a head-like raceme, spherical, with a long peduncle, white flowers, occasionally pale red. It flowers while setting seed, and the seeds mature at different times; the seeds are very small.

Common Varieties of Clover

Clover mainly has three types, namely white clover, crimson clover, and red clover.

1. White clover. Also known as white trefoil. It was first cultivated in the Netherlands in the late 16th century and is now widely distributed in temperate regions. It is cultivated south of the Huai River and in southwestern China. Perennial herb, rooting where it touches the ground. Stems slender and soft, creeping on the ground, plant height 30-60 cm. Petioles long, leaflets obovate or nearly obcordate, leaf margins finely serrated. Capitulum, with 10-80 flowers, white or pale purplish red. Pod obovate-rectangular, each pod has 3-4 seeds. Seeds nearly round, yellow, 1000-seed weight 0.5-0.7 g.

2. Crimson clover. Also known as crimson trefoil. Native to Europe, distributed in northeastern Europe and North America and other places. Widely introduced and cultivated in northern Huai and south of the Yangtze River in China. It can be used as forage, ground cover vegetation, or green manure, and can also be used as a catch crop. Annual or biennial herb. Stem round and hollow, about 70 cm tall. Leaves nearly round, short hairs on both sides, petioles large, stipules round and large, membranous. Capitulum cylindrical, flowers deep red. Pod obovate, containing 1 seed. Seeds round, yellow or brown, 1000-seed weight 3.2 g.

3. Red clover. Also known as red trefoil. Distributed in Europe, the United States, New Zealand and other regions, and also cultivated south of the Huai River in China. Stems erect or ascending, round with uneven longitudinal ridges, 60-100 cm tall. Leaflets have pale white V-shaped markings, leaf surface hairy, entire margin. Capitulum, with more than 100 flowers, red-purple, self-infertile. Pod obovate, pericarp membranous, each pod contains 1 seed. Seeds kidney-shaped or nearly triangular, yellow-brown, 1000-seed weight about 1.5 g.

Value and Applications of Clover

Lawns established with grass-family turfgrass species have become a limiting condition for the development of the turf industry because of frequent mowing and large watering amounts, while using white clover to establish lawns can overcome these shortcomings. The advantages of establishing lawns with white clover are:

(1) No mowing is needed, and management intensity is low. The stems of white clover are creeping stems, and the plant is low, generally between 10-20 cm in height. Therefore, the established lawn does not need mowing.

(2) Fewer waterings and relatively extensive management. White clover has a well-developed root system and can use water from deep soil layers, and its requirements for soil dryness and moisture are not very strict. Therefore, the number of waterings can be reduced, and management can be extensive.

(3) Natural renewal, and the lawn remains vigorous for a long time. White clover does not need mowing, so the plants can flower and set seed. Seeds fall to the ground and grow on their own, which can achieve natural renewal and keep the lawn vigorous for a long time.

(4) Strong invasiveness and relatively good ornamental value. The creeping stems of white clover spread in all directions, and its stem nodes take root where they touch the ground. When the mother plant dies or the stem is cut, the creeping stems can form new independent clumps. Therefore, it has strong invasiveness. Clover is a broadleaf plant, and its leaves extend horizontally, which can effectively cover the ground and inhibit weed growth. Therefore, once a white clover lawn is established, weeds are not easy to invade, which can make the lawn neat and beautiful.

Origin and Distribution of Clover

Clover is native to southern Asia Minor and southeastern Europe. It is widely distributed in temperate and subtropical high-altitude areas. In China, it can be planted in all areas except South China.

Growth Habits of Clover

Clover has strong cold resistance. When the temperature drops to 0°C, some old leaves turn yellow and withered, and the small leaves on the main root cling close to the ground and stop growing, but still remain green. Therefore, the green period is very long. It is not strict about soil requirements and can adapt to various soil types, growing well on slightly acidic soil. It prefers warm, sunny, and well-drained environmental conditions. Under drought conditions, growth is slow, and some plants die off in high-temperature seasons. It is resistant to pruning and trampling, has strong regeneration ability, and can grow renewed small leaves within 10 d after pruning. After high-intensity trampling or rolling, it can recover in 3-5 d. Under strong shading, it is prone to excessive elongation, causing poor growth. It has strong resistance to harmful gas pollution and strong resistance to pests and diseases.