White Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens) ~ LuminEarth’s How to Identify Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants
October 7, 2010 by Becki Baumgartner
Filed under Herbology, Supplements, Video Library, Wild Foods & Foraging
Names: White Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens) , White Clover, Ladino Clover, Clover, White Shamrock, Shamrock
Appearance: Clovers have leaves in sets of three with a flower head ranging in color from white, cream to pinkish tinged.
Harvesting: White Dutch Clover is found in lawns, fields, pastures, and disturbed areas. The young leaves are best harvested before the plant flowers.
Edible: The flowers and leaves of White Dutch Clover are edible both raw and cooked. The flowers are the sweetest part of the plant. White Dutch Clover leaves are edible raw or cooked and can be used in salads, soups, casseroles, etc. Fresh or dried clover flowers make a delicious herbal tea. Clovers are legumes, so they provide a protein that compliment whole grains. I like to use the flower heads in stir-fry with rice, or in baking. Make sure to only use completely fresh leaves and flowers.
WARNING
Only use undamaged white clover plants when foraging. Damaged plants can contain a cyanogenic glycoside that can cause asphyxiation at the cellular level. The cyanogenic glycocide is not normally found in plants except when there has been plant injury from cutting, grazing, freezing or wilting. For this reason it is very important to make sure that you only use fresh, undamaged plants when foraging. This also means that you CANNOT ferment white clover flowers as the fermentation process will create cyanogenic acid.
Medicinal: An Infusion of White Dutch Clover flowers and leaves is good for detoxification and rebuilding. White clover was used ty The Cherokee, Iroquois and Mohegian Indians to purify blood and cleanse boils, sores, wounds, etc. White Clover is stimulating to the liver and gallbladder, and creates an overall strengthening and nourishing. Also used for gout, arthritis, skin disorders, and aids. Clover tea is used for bronchial coughs, whooping coughs and tuberculosis. The tea is also anti-inflammatory, calming, expectorant and antispasmodic.
Sources:
- Brill, S. (1994). Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places. New York: HarperCollins.
- Montana Plant Life. (n.d.). White Clover – Trifolium Repens. Extracted September 20, 2010 from http://montana.plant-life.org/species/trifol_repe.htm
- Cyanogenic Glucosides. (n.d.) Texas Tech University. Extracted October 21, 2011 from http://www.orgs.ttu.edu/forageresearch/Forage%20Classes/Forages%203321/Handouts/Antiquality_Factors.pdf
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services. (n.d.). Plants Profile: Trifolium Repens, White Clover. Extracted September 20, 2010 from http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=TRRE3
The Books We Use:
- A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and central North America (Peterson Field Guide)
- Great Smoky Mountains Wildflowers: When and Where to Find Them by William Hutson
- Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places by “Wildman” Steve Brill
- Jude’s Herbal Home Remedies: Natural Health, Beauty & Home Care Secrets by Jude C. Williams, M.H.
- Ortho’s All About Herbs by Maggie Oster
- Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health by Rosemary Gladstar
- Secrets of the Chinese Herbalists by Richard Lucas
- Sunset Herbs: An Illustrated Guide by The Editors of Sunset Magazine
- The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting and Preparing Edible Wild Plants by Samuel Thayer
- The Herbal Drugstore by Linda B. White, M.D.
- The Natural Physicians’s Healing Therapies: Proven Remedies Medical Doctors Don’t Know by Mark Stengler, ND
- The Scientific Validation of Herbal Medicine by Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D.
- The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra, L.Ac., O.M.D.
- Wildflowers of the Land Between the Lakes Region, Kentucky and Tennessee
Related Links
- Health Improvement: Use Sound Therapy to Improve Your Health
- Herbal Remedy Cures eBook
- Marharishi Ayurveda: Herbal Remedies and Supplements Produced Through Vedic Tradition and Knowledge
- Standardized Herbs: Nature’s Sunshine Utilizes over 600 Tests to Guarantee the Quality of Herbs, Supplements, Essential Oils and Other Natural Health Care Products!
- Self Sufficient Life Website
- Super Antioxidant Juice MonaVie for a daily dose of Acai – the highest rated antioxidant currently known on the planet!
- Ultimate Guide to Vitamins and Minerals Book Info
Disclaimer: The statements in this article are for educational purposes only and have not been evaluated by or sanctioned by the FDA. Only your doctor can properly diagnose and treat any disease or disorder. The remedies discussed herein are not meant to treat or cure any type of disease. The user understands that the above information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician or a pharmacist.
So I have been doing a bit of reading on clovers, and there is an estrogen therapy you can use clover for, but also can stimulate fibrocysts in premenapausal women. What knowledge do you have on this information? Anything would be great.