Medicinal Monday...Lucky & Useful - Red Clover

Red Clover, is part of the legume or bean family and is widely found throughout eastern North America. It was introduced to the Americas from Europe and was widely used by Native Americans. Through the centuries, this herbaceous flowering plant has had many uses from medicinal and culinary, to feed for cattle, sheep, and horses.

About Red Cover
Red clover is a short-lived perennial plant that grows eight to 31 inches tall with hollow hairy stems. Each leaf consists of a slender stalk with three broad green leaves with a pale crescent on the outer half of the leaf. They grow from crowns and have a deep taproot that consists of many branches that make this plant drought-resistant. The flowers are dark pink with a paler base. The seed pods are short and contain kidney-shaped seeds that vary in color from yellow to deep violet. Red clover is tolerant of a wide range of soil.

Medicinal and Culinary Uses
One of the most common uses of red clover is to make a tea from the leaves and flowers to treat whooping cough. This tea also became a general remedy for cancer and has a history of use as an ointment for venomous bites. The Algonquin made an infusion of this plant to treat whooping cough, and, the Cherokee made an infusion from the entire plant to treat fever. The Iroquois make a decoction of the flowers to purify the blood. They also make a cold infusion of the flowers to treat menopause. The Rappahannock make an infusion of the stems and leaves and use this as an ingredient in blood medicine. The Tompson make an infusion of the flower heads and drink it as a treatment for stomach cancer. In California and Arizona, red clover became a food crop and the plant was cooked. Many Native American communities grind this plant into flour and use it in baking.

Did You Know...
Today, the most common use for Red clover is as forage for grazing and for feed. The protein content of red clover is almost as high as alfalfa and its long taproot can produce three to five tons of forage per acre.

In the 1800s, the drug company, Parke-Davis used red clover for the treatment of niacin deficiency, for whooping cough, and as a wash for ulcers.

Today it is still considered useful in the treatment of eczema. It is also used in combination with other herbs for coughs.

Ancient Greeks and Romans associated the plant with the triad goddess trinity, Celtic priests associated it with their three-lobbed symbol of the sun, and Druids believed the blossoms could ward off evil spirits.

The Irish embraced this plant and often looked for a four-leaf clover. A rhyme dating to medieval times says, "a four-leaf clover has one leaf for fame, one for wealth, one for faithful love, and one for glorious health."

A modern study indicated that isoflavones found in red clover may reduce menopausal hot flashes and may also decrease bone loss.

The bumblebee is one of the most important pollinators of red clover.