Legend of clover flower language

The flower language of clover is happiness. 　　

According to legend, if anyone finds a clover with four leaves, namely four leaf clover (also known as lucky grass), he will be happy. Therefore, in some European countries, people who see clover on the roadside will almost put it away and flatten it so that they can give it to others in the future, so as to express their best wishes to their friends. A leaf of four leaf clover represents prayer, a leaf represents hope, a leaf represents love, and the last leaf represents happiness. 　　

The legendary four leaf clover is brought to the earth by Eve from the paradise, and the flower language is happiness. Also known as clover. Usually there are only three leaves, and the chance of finding four leaves is only one in ten thousand, implying happiness and God's blessing. 　　

Morphological characteristics of clover

Clover is a perennial herb. The plant is low, 30 ~ 40 cm high. Taproot, the root has the characteristics of symbiosis with Rhizobium, and the root has strong tillering ability and regeneration ability. With many branches, creeping branches grow on the ground, and internodes strike the ground, that is, they take root and sprout new buds. Compound leaves, with three leaflets, leaflets obovate or obcordate, base cuneate, apex obtuse or slightly concave, margin serrulate, leaf center with "V" shaped white halo; Stipules elliptic, amplexicaul. It blooms in summer and autumn, with head raceme, spherical, long total pedicel, white flowers and occasional light red flowers. While flowering, seed setting, seed maturity is different, and the seed is small. 　　

Common varieties of clover

There are three main types of clover, namely white clover, Crimson clover and red clover

1. White clover. Also known as white clover. It was first cultivated in the Netherlands in the late 16th century and is now widely distributed in temperate regions. It is cultivated in the South and southwest of Huaihe River in China. Perennial herb, landing and rooting. The stem is slender and soft, creeping on the ground, and the plant is 30 ~ 60 cm high. The petiole is long, the leaflets are obovate or nearly obcordate, and the leaf margin is serrulate. Capitate inflorescence, with 10 ~ 80 flowers, white or light purplish red. The pods are oval and rectangular, and each pod has 3 ~ 4 seeds. The seeds are nearly round and yellow, with a 1000 grain weight of 0.5 ~ 0.7 G

2. Crimson clover. Also known as Crimson clover. It is native to Europe and distributed in Northeast Europe and North America. It is widely introduced and cultivated in the north of Huaihe River and the south of Yangtze River in China. It can be used as forage, ground cover vegetation or green fertilizer, and can also be used as idle crops. Herbs annual or perennial. The stem is round and hollow, about 70 cm high. The leaves are nearly round, both sides have short hairs, the petiole is large, and the stipules are round and large, membranous. Inflorescence cylindric, flowers crimson. The pod is obovate and contains 1 seed. The seeds are round, yellow or brown, with a 1000 grain weight of 3.2 G

3. Safflower clover. Also known as red clover. It is distributed in Europe, the United States, New Zealand and other regions. It is also cultivated in the south of Huaihe River in China. The stem is upright or obliquely ascending, round and with concave convex longitudinal lines, with a height of 60 ~ 100 cm. There are light white V-shaped markings on the leaflets, and the leaf surface is hairy, entire. Head like inflorescence, with more than 100 flowers, red purple, self flower is not solid. The pods are obovate, and the pericarp is membranous. Each pod contains 1 seed. The seeds are kidney shaped or nearly triangular, yellowish brown, and the 1000 grain weight is about 1.5g. 　　

Value and application of clover

The lawn built by grass species has become the limiting condition for the development of lawn industry due to frequent pruning and large amount of watering. These shortcomings can be overcome by using white clover to build lawn. The advantages of white clover lawn include:

(1) No construction and low management intensity. The stem of white clover is stolon, the plant is low, and the height is generally between 10 ~ 20cm. Therefore, the lawn built can not be trimmed. 　　

(2) Less watering times and extensive management. The root system of white clover is developed, which can use the water in the deep soil, and the requirement for soil dry humidity is not too strict. Therefore, watering times can be reduced and extensive management can be carried out. 　　

(3) Natural renewal and long-lasting lawn. White clover does not need pruning, so the plant can blossom and bear fruit. Seeds fall to the ground and grow by themselves, which can realize natural regeneration and make the lawn lasting for a long time. 　　

(4) Strong encroachment and good viewing. The stolon of white clover spreads around, and its stem nodes strike the ground to take root. When the mother plant dies or the stem is cut off, the stolon can form a new independent plant cluster. Therefore, it has strong encroachment. Clover is a broad-leaved plant with horizontally spreading leaves, which can effectively cover the ground and inhibit the breeding of weeds. Therefore, once the white clover lawn is formed, weeds are not easy to invade, which can make the lawn neat and beautiful

Origin and distribution of clover

Clover grassland is produced in southern Asia Minor and southeastern Europe. It is widely distributed in temperate and subtropical high-altitude areas. It can be planted in other parts of China except South China

Living habits of clover

Clover has strong cold resistance. When the temperature drops to 0 ℃, some old leaves wither and yellow, and the leaflets on the main root cling to the ground and stop growing, but still remain green. Therefore, the green period is very long. It has no strict requirements on soil, can adapt to various soil types, and grows well in acidic soil. Like warm, sunny and well drained environmental conditions. The growth is slow under drought conditions, and some wither and die in high temperature seasons. It is resistant to pruning and trampling, and has strong regeneration ability. Renewal leaflets can grow within 10 days after pruning. After high-intensity trampling or rolling, it can be restored in 3 ~ 5 days. It is easy to grow in strong shade, resulting in poor growth. Strong resistance to harmful gas pollution and disease and insect pests.