These Fascinating Facts About Four-Leaf Clovers Will Have You Feeling the Luck of the Irish (2024)

Certain things you can't help but associate with St. Patrick's Day: green beer, corned beef hash, leprechauns, pots of gold, and — of course — four-leaf clovers. But have you ever wondered why four-leaf clovers are linked to the holiday? If you're curious about the history behind these good luck charms, then these four-leaf clover facts will set the record straight (and give you some fun trivia to share at your St. Paddy's Day party!). But before you can know the story behind four-leaf clovers, you should know a little about how March 17 came to be.

Dating back nearly 2,000 years, St. Patrick's Day was originally introduced by a man (named Patrick, of course) who was brought to Ireland as a slave and held captive for six years. He eventually escaped only to return years later to bring Christianity to the nation before his passing on March 17, 461 A.D. — which is why we celebrate St. Paddy's Day on that date. However, it wasn’t until the 1700s, when Irish immigrants began arriving in the United States, that the holiday started resembling the festivities we now know, complete with parades, green clothing, and shamrocks. Speaking of which...

What's the difference between four-leaf clovers and shamrocks?

Though shamrocks and four-leaf clovers are both associated with St. Paddy's Day, the two are not, in fact, the same thing. The important difference: a shamrock is a clover that only has three leaves, which is far less rare to find than a four-leaf clover and therefore not as lucky. In fact, there are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every four-leaf clover, so shamrocks are much more common. However, four-leaf clovers aren't just considered lucky because they're so rare.

Why are four-leaf clovers considered lucky?

Clovers first appeared in centuries-old Druid legends as symbols of good luck, way back in the very early days of Ireland. According to legend, Celtic priests believed that they could detect evil spirits when carrying a three-leaf clover or shamrock, while four-leaf clovers were Celtic charms thought to provide magical protection and ward off bad luck. Then, in 1620, Sir John Melton made the first literary reference to clovers bringing good luck when he wrote, "If a man walking in the fields find any four-leaved grass, he shall in a small while after find some good thing." From there, the legend stuck.

How rare are four-leaf clovers?

It’s often said that Ireland grows more four-leaf clovers than anywhere else in the world, which explains that famous expression "the luck of the Irish." But just how rare are they? While the chance of finding one is about 1 in 10,000, you are more likely to find multiple four-leaf clovers in the same area, since the gene for a fourth leaf is inheritable. Of course, the gene responsible for four-leaf clovers is recessive, so while they do tend to be found in clusters, finding a four-leaf clover at all is a rare occurrence.

Fun facts about four-leaf clovers

What else should you know about these symbols of good luck? Here are some fun four-leaf clover facts to prepare you for St. Paddy's Day:

• The leaves of four-leaf clovers are said to stand for faith, hope, love, and luck.
  
• According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the most leaves ever discovered on a single clover stem is 56.
• The plant’s Latin name is Trifolium repens, which actually means white clover.
• Abraham Lincoln always carried a four-leaf clover with him but reportedly forgot it at home the night he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.
• The word shamrock comes from the Irish word seamrog, which means "little clover."
• Children in the Middle Ages believed they would be able to see fairies if they carried a four-leaf clover.
• St. Patrick used a three-leaf clover as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity when he was first introducing Christianity to Ireland, which is why shamrocks are associated with the holiday.