What Does a Four-Leaf Clover Signify?

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! This seems like a good time to write about four-leaf clovers. As you know, most clovers come with three leaves, and finding a four-leaf clover is said to mean good luck. Why so? 

One tradition has it that Eve carried a four-leaf clover out of Eden as a souvenir, but that seems unlikely. Who would have the presence of mind to go looking for a four-leaf clover when being chased away by an angel with a flaming sword,

especially since a four-leaf clover is so hard to find? Only about one in 5000 specimens of Trifolium repens (notice that even the name denotes “three leaves”) has four leaves.

Our sense of rarity and good fortune is one reason that Tumblehome helped create 4Leaf , a partnership of four organizations that together provide curriculum, assessment, research, and dissemination for each of the four domains of STEM: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It’s no coincidence that our assessment partner PEAR represents its model of healthy development by four colorful leaves: Active Engagement, Assertiveness, Belonging, and Reflection. 

Oddly enough, it turns out that the recessive mutation that leads to four-leaf clovers causes five-leaf clovers just as often, which leaves us room to include partners and out-of-school topics beyond the original four. For example, right now we are recruiting summer programs to pilot 4Leaf’s new curriculum on development for thriving, based on the Clover model itself. You can find out more here and sign up to participate here.

One last thought: If you’ve ever searched through a field looking for a four-leaf clover, you know how easy it is to get discouraged. It turns out that your best strategy is to scan the ground rather quickly, until a discontinuity in the patterned carpet of leaves jumps out at you. Then, zero in. Remaining playful while staying alert for something unusual, something that stands out, gives you the best chance of a fortuitous discovery.