Clover |
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| Common Name | Clover |
| Scientific Name | Trifolium Pratense |
| Clover goes by many other names: Red Clover, Wild Clover, Broad-leafed Clover, and Purple Clover. In ancient times, it was believed that those who carried a triple-leaf clover should be able to detect witches, sorcerers, and good fairies. Christians thought the three-part leaf a symbol of the Trinity and designed many of their churches and church windows in that shape. The blossoms are believed to be a cough remedy. The tea is also believed to stimulate the liver and gall bladder, and people with constipation or a sluggish appetite have been advised to take it in some cases. Children pluck the blossoms and suck the sweet juice out of them, and in Shakespeare's time the flowers were called "honey stalks" because they were liked so much by bees. Clover is found throughout meadows all over North America and Europe. | |
| Plant | Short-lived perennial, regarded as an annual or a biennial as a result. The trifoliate leaves spring upward from the root on long reddish stems covered with close-pressed whitish hairs. Pink, purple, or red flower heads bloom in July and August. |
| Height | To 2 feet. |
| Soil | Moderate fertility. Neutral or alkaline. |
| Exposure | Sun. |
| Propagation | By seeds sown in spring, or in late summer and fall for the following spring. Clover is often used as a cover crop by farmers, so seeds can usually be found through farm seed-supply stores. |
| Care | Space 8 inches apart. Easy care; thrives in common garden soil. Good in rock gardens. |
| Part used for Tea | Blossoms, usually dried. Air-drying rather than oven-drying is recommended. |
| Taste | Delicate, sweet. |
| How to Brew | By INFUSION: Add 1 teaspoonful of the dried flowering tops, cut small, to 1 cup of boiling water. Steep to taste. Clover tea is good with some dried rose hips, lemon, wild mint, or, of course, clover honey. |
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