Clover (Red): Magical Properties & Uses

Red clover is primarily a herb of luck, protection, and the drawing of love and financial fortune. The four-leaf clover as a luck charm needs no introduction; the three-leaf form is used in workings for fidelity and the honouring of triple-form deities. In protection workings it guards against hexes and the interference of hostile spirits. Scattered in a working space it draws positive energy and good fortune into the area. In love workings it draws fidelity and the kind of love that is also companionship. It is one of the most accessible and gentle herbs in the apothecary: appropriate for those new to working with botanicals.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) contains isoflavones (phytoestrogens) that have shown modest effectiveness in reducing menopausal hot flushes in clinical trials. It is approved in some European countries as a herbal medicine for this application. It is also used as a nutritive herb, being rich in vitamins and minerals, and has been used historically as a spring tonic. It has demonstrated mild antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Those with hormone-sensitive conditions should seek medical guidance before using it medicinally.

Rowan, St Patrick

Three leaves for the Holy Trinity, three for the Triple Goddess, four for the rarest of luck. Red clover is the flower of fidelity and friendship in the British folk tradition: woven into garlands for midsummer celebrations and carried as a charm against witchcraft and evil. The four-leaf clover's luck tradition is ancient; the Druids are said to have carried it to detect the presence of evil spirits. In the language of flowers red clover signifies industry and thrift: the bee's herb, the honey flower, the plant that sustains the meadow. It was one of the primary crops of medieval English agriculture and features in the folk customs of most Northern European countries.