Medicinal Monday the Wonders of White Clover

In the summer in Connecticut many of us see white clover growing in our grass. Generally, it is seen as a weed, but like most weeds, if we look a little closer like the Native American community did we will find out that white clover can be quite useful as food and medicine.

About White Clover

Originally from Europe, this herbaceous perennial plant was brought over by the first settlers and widely introduced. White clover is in the bean family, Fabaceae, and was originally used as fodder. The leaves of this plant are smooth with light or dark markings. The whitish flowers often have a tinge of pink or creme.  The creeping stems are erect, elongated, hairless, and light green. There are three leaflets known as trifoliolate that are symbolic of the shamrock.

Culinary and Medicinal Uses

The Algonkian, Mohegan, and Delaware use a tea infusion made from the dried leaves of white clover to treat coughs and colds. They also eat fresh plants like leafy green vegetables and add them to stews. The Cherokee take an infusion of white clover for fever and also use it for kidney trouble and Bright's disease or chronic nephritis. The Iroquois use the entire plant as a wash for liver spots. They apply a poultice of this plant to the eyes for paralysis and use an infusion of the flowers as an eyewash. A tincture of the leaves is used as an ointment for gout. The flowering heads are used in an infusion to cleanse boils, sores, and wounds, and to purify the blood.

Did You Know...

White Clover is also known as Dutch clover, Ladino clover,  honeysuckle clover, white sweet clover, and Ladino.

Honey bees often visit white clover, it is thought to be one of their favorite flowers.

Sometimes clover is thrown in with grass seed because it can provide green cover in poorer souls where turfgrasses don't grow well.

The dried leaves and flowers impart a vanilla-like taste to cakes.