A Guide To Finding Four-Leaf Clovers Just In Time For St. Patrick’s Day

Supposedly, there is 1 four-leaf clover for every 10,000 three-leaf clovers. So get out there and get lucky.

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1. Know what you’re looking for!

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A four-leaf clover is actually a genetic mutation of the three-leaf clover (shamrock) that can be caused by a rare recessive gene or environmental causes. These mutations grow in groups, so if you find one, you’re bound to find many more!

2. Start big.

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Find a large patch and look around from standing height. Don’t get on your hands and knees with a magnifying glass! Brush over the clovers lightly with your feet to look for patterns, trying to expose any mutations.

3. Look at areas that are more contrasty.

For example, patches that have lots of height variant, edges of patches near sidewalks or anything not green, etc. so that it's easier on your eyes in all the clutter.

4. Once you find one, get closer!

Rake through the patch and it's neighboring areas with your hands, where it's little mutant brothers and sisters should be hiding.

5. Shamrock mutations aren’t necessarily restricted to only four leaves!

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The most leaves ever found on a clover stem is recorded to be 56 and was discovered by Shigeo Obara of Hanamaki City, Iwate, Japan, on May 10, 2009. That’s 14 times as lucky!

(source)

6. Be patient!

Not all patches have the mutation, so you're not always guaranteed to find one. If you find yourself getting impatient or frustrated, leave the patch and continue your search elsewhere.

7. Preserve your lucky finds!

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Press each one down flat into a book, close, set something heavy on top, and wait a few days until the clovers are fully dried out. You’re now ready to display your lucky four-leaf clovers! Frame them, set into epoxy, make jewelry, give as gifts, etc.