Four Leaf Clover

Shamrock Vs Four Leaf Clover

The Shamrock, the National Flower of Ireland is worn because St. Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity to pagans during his lifetime. Millions of Irish and many that are just Irish at heart are wearing shamrock today to mark St. Patrick’s Day, 17th March.

Saint Patrick is believed to have been born in the late fourth century, and is often confused with Palladius, a bishop who was sent by Pope Celestine in 431 to be the first bishop to the Irish believers in Christ.

The four leaf clover is an uncommon variation of the common, three-leaved shamrock, also known as clover. According to tradition, such leaves bring good luck to their finders, especially if found accidentally.

According to legend, each leaf represents something: the first is for hope, the second is for faith, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck.

Shamrock can have more than four leaves: the most ever recorded is fifty-six,discovered by Shigeo Obara of Hanamaki, Iwate, Japan, 10 May 2009.

It has been estimated that there are approximately 10,000 shamrock of three-leaf clover for every shamrock of four-leaf clover; however, this probability has not deterred collectors who have reached records as high as 160,000 shamrock of four leaf clovers.

It is debated whether the fourth leaf on a shamrock four leaf clover is caused genetically or environmentally.

Certain companies produce four leaf clovers using different means.The botanist Richard Mabey alleges, in Flora Britannica, that there are farms in the US which specialize in shamrock of four-leaf clovers, producing as many as 10,000 a day.

St. Patrick’s Day is a great excuse to wear shamrock of a three leaf clover or shamrock of a four leaf clover. “To be sure! To be sure!”