4 leaf clover

[Shadeflower]

So 4-leafed clover is supposed to be good luck so what better than to grow some with my orchids.
However every one has turned out to be a 3 leaf clover. How do I get a 4 leaf clover?

[Dusty Ol' Man]

From what I understand, a clover with four leaves is a genetic anomaly. There is nothing you can do to cause it. Also, since luck is a superstition, there is nothing you can do to cause that either. If it were me, I would get some very fancy oxalis and put them in their own pot. We have a purple variety on the front porch which gets morning sun.

[Dorchid]

“Luck is the residue of design” - Branch Rickey (full quote here along with all his other gems: Top 30 quotes of BRANCH RICKEY famous quotes and sayings | inspringquotes.us)
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity” - my dad (borrowed from Branch Rickey)

I once found 4 x 4 leaf clovers, 2 x 5 leaf clovers and a 6 leaf clover in my friends front yard. Curious if his house sat on a nuclear waste dump

That looks like wood sorrel (oxalis as stated). I have it in several orchid pots…thought it was cool at first but it spreads like wildfire as the seeds are literally ejected by the pods. I hate it now and try to never let it get to seed. It should taste citrusy.

[Shadeflower]

ah ok so even if I find a 4 leaf one it would be a 4 leaf wood sorrel and so not good luck anyway lol?
How do you tell wood sorrel apart from clover? I have no doubt this is wood sorrel now, I'm just curious.

edit: google to the rescue, learnt something new

How to Identify Wood Sorrel - Foraging for Edible Wild Greens — Good Life Revival

[Dusty Ol' Man]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

ah ok so even if I find a 4 leaf one it would be a 4 leaf wood sorrel and so not good luck anyway lol?
How do you tell wood sorrel apart from clover? I have no doubt this is wood sorrel now, I'm just curious.

edit: google to the rescue, learnt something new

How to Identify Wood Sorrel - Foraging for Edible Wild Greens — Good Life Revival

I have a book titled Edible Plants of the Sierra Nevada. I should dig it out and see if there is anything in it about wood sorrel.

[Ray]

What you have there is likely oxalis, and you’d do best to get it the hell out of the pot, now!

Their roots are not as bad at choking orchids roots as those of ferns, but they’re a close second.

[SouthPark]

Shade ------ that is indeed oxalis. It is considered a 'weed' here in Australian gardens and lawns etc. I quite like them, as they typically have three leaves. But --- when they are in large enough quantities, and if we occasionally keep looking (with no time limit) ------ the chances are that you will eventually find at least 1 (among a lot of them) with four leaves, instead of three. So in my opinion, is as 'lucky' as finding as a four-leaf clover.

Although, there was one time when there was a particular patch ----- one plant of oxalis --- in one particular spot, where that particular one had a few four leaved ones ----- among a bunch of three-leaf ones. So ----- hard to say what the mechanism was ----- as in genetic or otherwise, that was making that particular one have a much better chance of producing four leave ones. But ---- it wasn't producing all four leaf ones ------ it was just producing at least some every once in a while. And this was surprising ----- because normally ----- it could take years and years and years before finding a four leaf one using the 'occasional look in the garden/lawn' approach.

And also - not all of the 'four leaf' ones (if we find) are necessarily 'perfect' in shape/form. Some may appear a bit off ----- as in not perfect symmetry ------ as in natural deformity, or genetic issue.