Clover Flower Meaning and Symbolism in Floriography (2024)

The clover flower, or trefoil, has over 300 species of plants in the family Fabaceae, genus Trifolium. The name comes from ‘tres’ meaning three, and ‘folium’ meaning leaf. While they originated in Europe, they are widespread today across much of the Northern Hemisphere. Famous as a traditional Irish charm, these lovely flowers are packed with meaning and symbolism in the language of flowers.

Etymology

Clover is any Trifolium having trifoliolate leaves, dense head flowers, and members of the legume family. ‘Clover’ was first used prior to the 12th century and comes from Old English clāfre.

Zohary and Heller divided the genus into eight sections in 1984: Lotoidea, Paramesus, Mistyllus, Vesicanridula, Chronosemium, Trifolium, Trichoecephalum, and Involucrarium.

The Victorian Language of Flowers

The meaning and symbolism of clover flowers are closely associated with good fortune and luck, whether they are four-leaved or not. They are a sign of protection and male energy and can be a charm against hexes and negativity.

In the Victorian era, when floriography was most practiced, clovers were often included in bouquets as symbols of good luck and to convey messages of remembrance, good health, and spiritual growth. The clover’s prevalence in fields and meadows across Europe and North America made it a recognizable and charming addition to any floral message.

An Irish Charm

Celtic priests and druids carried the shamrock, a three-leaf clover, to see when evil spirits approached. Four-leaved clovers were Celtic charms to protect the carrier from bad luck.

Traditionally, the shamrock clover is an Irish cultural symbol, appearing on the Erin Go Bragh flag and used by St. Patrick for a visual representation of Ireland’s identity. You’ll see the flower emblazoned on Irish uniforms and on the national airline Aer Lingus as well.

Clover Flower Color Symbolism

In floriography, the language of flowers, the clover plant carries various meanings, each nuanced by the specific type of clover and cultural context.

White Clovers

White clover is commonly associated with thoughts of “think of me” or “remember me always.” It’s a plant that’s often linked to the nostalgia of childhood and innocence, as many people have spent idle hours in their youth searching for the elusive four-leafed clover.

Red Clovers

Red clover flowers are often connected with industriousness and the virtue of hard work, perhaps due to their association with the diligent bees that are attracted to their blossoms. Interesingly, it can also represent protection and the nurturing of dreams.

Four-Leaf Clover:

Above all, the four-leaf clover is an almost universally recognized symbol of good luck. Each leaf in the four-leaf clover has a specific meaning — faith, hope, love, and luck. Finding a four-leaf clover is considered a rare event, thus making it a powerful symbol for the unexpected fortunes of life.

Shamrock (Young White Clover or Three-Leaf Clover):

The Shamrock, a type of young white clover, is heavily associated with Irish culture and St. Patrick’s Day. It’s believed that St. Patrick used the shamrock’s three leaves to explain the Holy Trinity, giving it a strong spiritual meaning linked to St. Patrick and religious faith.

Adam & Eve

Clover legend holds that Eve clutched a four-leaf clover as she and Adam fled the Garden of Eden. Three-leaf clovers are the sign of the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, where four-leaf clovers add God’s Grace.

In Art & Literature

A beautiful poem, if we may, from Ella Higginson that beautifully encapsulates the meaning and symbolism of clover flowers:

Four Leaf Clover by Ella Higginson, “I know a place where the sun is like gold, and the cherry blooms burst with snow, and down underneath is the loveliest nook, where the four-leaf clovers grow. One leaf is for hope, and one is for faith, and one is for love, you know, and God put another in for luck—If you search, you will find where they grow. But you must have hope, and you must have faith, You must love and be strong—and so— If you work, if you wait, you will find the place where the four-leaf clovers grow”.

Suitable Gifting Occasions

In arrangements, red clovers mean hope and industry, while white clovers mean the giver is thinking of the recipient. Clovers are typically not in cut flower arrangements but can be given as a potted plant gift for any occasion. They are often given as a symbol of luck no matter what color of the flower.

Wrap Up

Clover has many uses in society: critical for honeybees, a source of natural hot flash medicinal therapy, a ground cover, and a graze for cattle. These richly symbolic flowers are charming to admire and might even bring a little luck your way.