four leaf clovers

[Wayne Parrott]

davekate wrote:

> I've discovered more 4 leaf clovers in lawns that has been sprayed with
> 2,4-D.  Just spray  with a dilute mix., strong enough to injure but not kill
> it and then start looking after recovery of the clover. I forget what the
> name of the plant I'm talking about is. Just the white flowering clover in
> lawns all over the country (Dutch clover?

The four-leaf trait is under genetic control, and plants with the ability to
produce an occasional 4-leaf are rather common.  I really doubt that 2,4-D has
anything to do with it.  Breeders have crossed such plants together, and after
selection and re-crossing have developed seeds which give plants with a high
frequency of 4-leaves.  Park Seed (www.parkseed.com) sells plants of white
clover that have 4 leaves. (plus an added trait for showy, red color).

Other companies pop-up occasionally on the web that sell the seed.  Lucky
Clovers (http://www.fourleafclover.com/seedk.html) has sold a seed kit which is
not available now. Perhaps other readers know of other sources of seed.









>
> katie sullivan <ameliae at mail.utexas.edu> wrote in message
> news:8a7e64$r70$1 at geraldo.cc.utexas.edu...
> > Are Four leaf clovers a real plant, or a cross of two plants, or what?  I
> > have found a patch of them before.  They never were flowering, and I want
> to
> > grow some.  Does anyone know if I can buy seeds, or how I can "create"
> some?
> >
> > Thank you!!
> >
> >