Shamrock Vs. Clover

Don't be fooled! The Shamrock IS in fact a type of Clover! Contrary to popular belief, the Shamrock ALWAYS has just three leaflets. The Lucky 4-leaf Clover depicted in myths and legends is actually just a rare mutation of a common clover. With this in mind, why would the Shamrock be Ireland’s national emblem, and not the 4-leaf clover associated with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations?

4 Leaf Clover Photo Credit: Sierra Club

The Shamrock sports 3 leaflets. In Irish tradition, each leaf represents a piece of the Holy Trinity; Father, Son, Holy Spirit. St. Patrick used the 3-leaf clover in his teachings, despite the 4-leaf legend. The “true” shamrock is actually a white clover. The “shamrock” we typically see in stores and Leprechaun stories are often wood sorrels, which are not in the clover family at all! The biggest visible difference between the shamrock and wood sorrel are the leaf shapes. The shamrock has an oval leaflet, where the wood sorrel has a distinct heart shape leaflet. Another difference is palatability. The wood sorrel is said to have a pleasant, lemony-sour taste and is sometimes used in salads or as a garnish on dishes. The shamrock and common clover are also considered edible, but don’t taste good to the human tongue.

Wood Sorrel Photo Credit: Texas A&M

So why so much confusion between what is a shamrock and what is not?

A big contributor is because of the Gaelic translation of the word “shamrock”. “Shamrock” simply means “little clover” and refers to many kinds of plants, including the look-alike wood sorrel. Some may even say that there is no such thing as a “shamrock” at all; that the word is just a corruption of the Gaelic term. 

Shamrock with White Clovers Photo Credit: Texas A&M

Just remember, all Shamrocks are clovers, but not all clovers are Shamrocks!

Heidi Meadows

Horticulturist