I’m out power walking (*cough*cough*bullshit*) with the Lil’un and Dorky on Sunday. I spy a plant along the walking path that stands out from the rest. I spy two actually but I’m only going to talk about the one today. While Lil’un nibbled on her own teeny toes, Dorky and I pondered it. It looks like clover but…not? I snapped a picture on my phone, which I couldn’t find later. Me and the phone aren’t best buds. Nevertheless, I did my due diligence and I found the little guy.
Meet Red Clover (trifolium pratense).
Red Clover is a clover, you know, look at the name. It was the color and the size that made Dorky and I doubt that it was kin to the Clover family.
I have heard of Red Clover in my perusal of teas in Whole Foods or other granola-type shops. Mr Red can be found in all sorts of teas. Fertility teas come to mind and, I think, teas for menopause. Red Clover has some kind of something in it that mimics estrogen. I’m no scientist so don’t think I’m going to spew scientific words here as if I would know. If you want to learn more about Mr Red Clover then I suggest you look him up. (I’m restraining myself from going into a diatribe about due diligence.)
Another thing I know about Red Clover, which I learned from my gardening and lawn care endeavors, is that clover is very good at putting nitrogen into the ground which makes grass very happy. It’s the reason I don’t spread the weed-killer to get rid of it. I figure the clover (I have white clover in my yard) puts nitrogen in the ground and when the neighborhood bunnies come to eat the clover they fertilize my grass too. The whole cycle of life, you get it. I don’t mind the bunnies now that I purchase seasonal plants which they don’t like to eat. We all get along now.
Back to Red Clover…
I will end by informing you that it is the flower of Denmark and the State flower of Vermont. I bet you didn’t know that, and knowing is half the battle.
“I don’t hardly know her but I think I could love her.” Crimson and Clover by Tommy James & the Shondells.
