The name shamrock comes from Irish seamróg ([ˈʃamˠɾˠoːɡ]), which is the diminutive of the Irish word seamair óg and simply means “young clover.”
However, since about 1600, there has not been a consensus over which species of clover is the “true” shamrock. And, some have contended that a shamrock is not a clover at all!
According to Wikipedia, detailed investigations to settle this matter were carried out in two separate botanical surveys in Ireland, one in 1893 and the other in 1988. The 1893 survey was carried out by Nathaniel Colgan, an amateur naturalist working as a clerk in Dublin, and the 1988 survey was carried out by E. Charles Nelson, Director of the Irish National Botanic Gardens.
Both surveys involved asking people from all across Ireland to send in examples of shamrock, which were then planted and allowed to flower, so that the submitted species could be identified. The results of both surveys were very similar, showing that the conception of the shamrock in Ireland had changed little over that century. Those results are summarized below; click on the table for better viewing.
The results show that there is no one “true” species of shamrock, but that Lesser Clover (Trifolium dubium) is considered to be the shamrock by roughly half of Irish people. It is important to note that none of the species listed in the survey grow only in Ireland and all are common throughout Europe. In fact, nearly all have become naturalized here locally and most of those are commonly found at the destinations listed below.
You can find a ‘shamrock’ at these additional local destinations:
- 100 Acre Wood
- Bauer Environmental Park
- Community Connector Trail
- Historic Champlain Canalway Trail
- Settlers Hill Natural Area
- Stillwater Multi-Use Trail
- Summer Hill Natural Area
Whatever species may be your preference, I wish you all good luck on this St. Patrick’s Day. And may you each find your own 4-leaf clover in 2022!
Curious By Nature 