Red Clover

Jul 11

6 min read

As a spring sprouting perennial, red clover is well known for its cleansing properties, from the blood to lymph, lungs and digestive tract. As it cleanses it eliminates toxins by increasing the flow of urine and bile as well as moving mucus out of the lungs and other areas of the body. Because of its cleansing property this is a great herb for treating different chronic conditions and mystery illnesses.

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Trifolium pratense

Family: Fabaceae - Legume, pea, bean

Subfamily: Trifolieae

Parts used: blossoms (most medicinal), leaves

What's in a Name - Trifolium pratense

Trifolium means three leaves
pretense refers to it being found in meadows

Common Name: Clover

Clover was known as Cloeferwort in Anglo-Saxon. Cloefer, referred to the three knotted club belonging to Hercules and wort is the name for a medicinal plant. The clubs suit in playing cards is a clover leaf, referencing this original name given to clover.

Folk Names:

Honey suckers – only bees and butterflies have tongues long enough to suck the nectar
Wild clover, cow clover, sweet clover
Cleaver grass, marl grass, cow grass, sweet grass
Trefoil
Purple clover

History

One of the world’s oldest agricultural crop. Originally used as a fodder crop for cattle.
Druids used clover leaves both to detect and protect against evil spirits, usually carrying one wherever they went.
Irish believed carrying a four-leaf clover allowed one to see fairies. Shamrock is the Irish National plant.
Christianity in the Middle Ages associated clover leaf with the trinity as taught by St. Patrick. It was a symbol of God and all that is good. The rare four-leaf clover was the most potent of protections because it resembled the cross and four aspects of happiness: faith, health, wealth, fame.
Chinese medicine used it medicinally for clearing heat and removing toxins.
Romans used in their herbals for the urinary tract.
Brought to America from Europe and planted across the country as pasture for farm animals and crop hay.
Native Americans used many types of clover for health and healing.
Early 1900’s red clover became a very popular cancer remedy, it popped up in many herbals and mentioned frequently in literature of the time.

Saint Patrick Catholic Church, Junction City Ohio

Actions

Alterative

Anti-Inflammatory

Antacid

Antiemetic

Antibiotic

Antimicrobial

Antirheumatic

Antispasmodic

Antitumor

Aperient

Demulcent

Depurative

Detoxing

Discutient

Diuretic

Expectorant

Nervine

Nutritive

Relaxant

Tonic

Energetics/Body Systems Affected

Cooling

Moistening

Lymph

Liver

Heart

Respiratory

Skin

Constituents/Nutrients

Calcium

Coumarins

Cyanogenic glycosides

Flavonoids

Isoflavones

Magnesium

Phytoestrogens

Polysaccharides

Salicylates

Saponins

Tocopherol

Nutrient rich; beta-carotene, calcium, vitamin C and full spectrum of B vitamins, trace minerals, zinc, magnesium, manganese, copper, selenium, protein, iron and silicon.

Uses

Helps the body assimilate nutrients, remove waste, and rebuild; preventative, infection, swellings, chronic conditions, degenerative disease, mystery illness, wasting, weak conditions, illness recovery, restore vitality, accelerate healing, etc.
Immune support, use for all types of illness, cold and flu season, etc.
Blood and lymph cleanser and purifier.
May reduce blood clotting and plaque in arteries, helps tone veins, may help with stroke prevention.
Cleanses and expels waste; swollen glands, lymph, cysts, lumps, growths, tumors, etc.
Removal of blockages, helps the flow of urine, mucus, bile, etc.
Women’s health; a natural source of phytoestrogens which help the body with hormone balance, premenstrual and menopause symptoms, hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, breast health, etc.
Vaginal itching, discomfort, infection, cysts, rectal irritation, etc. (douche or enema)
Respiratory support; sore throat, coughs, bronchitis, asthma, whooping cough, tuberculosis and other conditions as it moves mucus from the lungs.
Skin conditions; eczema, psoriasis, acne, sores, infection, rashes, burns, wounds, fungus, disorders, etc.
Liver, kidney, gall bladder support and stimulant.
Prostate health
Eye conditions; pink eye, sties, inflammation, etc.
Maintains healthy bone density; strengthens bones and teeth, protective effect on the spine.
Inflammatory and rheumatic conditions both internal and external.
Stomach and digestive issues including chronic constipation and chronic ulcers.
Painful urination and urinary tract infection.
Calming effect on the whole nervous system.
Dr. Christopher, among other eclectic herbalists, praise this herb as a prevention and treatment for cancer. Red clover is the key ingredient in Dr. Christopher's cancer formula because of the cleansing, purifying properties it has on the blood.
Antitumor compounds could be useful for cancer prevention.
Blend leaves with water to make a hair and body wash that is filled with nutrients.

“Red clover is one of God’s greatest blessings to man...Use it freely. It can be taken in place of water (red clover tea).” Jethro Kloss, Back to Eden

Herb Preparations

Red clover, like other alteratives should be used consistently over a long period of time for gradual detox and purification. This could be from months to years depending on the body.

Food; eat the blossoms, add to salads, soups, drinks, smoothies or any fresh dish, seeds can be soaked and sprouted or used for micro greens. (Mature leaves are harder to digest)
Tea (1-3 teaspoons per cup of water – drink cold for hot flashes and heat conditions)
Bath, soaks
Poultice, compress
Extracts, syrup, liniment
Powder, sprinkle, capsules
Honey (as food, medicine or skin ointment)
Herbal oil, ointment, salve, cream
Washes; eyewash, mouthwash, gargle
Douche, enema

Care/Harvesting

Found in disturbed sites, fields, meadows, mountains, and lawns. There are a variety of species but red clover is the most medicinal. Leaves are oval shaped, ending in a point, with a whitish crescent in the center, divided into three leaflets (ternate). Flowers are pink to purple in a dense oval head. You can also find sprouting seeds to plant in your home garden.

Red clover likes loamy, well-drained soil but will grow anywhere.
Sprinkle seeds in full sun in the early spring or fall, keep moist until sprouted.
Blossoms are ready to harvest right as they open, don’t use browning blossoms.
Harvest on a dry, sunny day, snipping right below the blossom head, it’s okay to gather the top leaves as well, though they will affect the flavor as they get more potent as they mature.
Spring blossoms have the sweetest flavor, come fall they lose some of the sweetness.
Process or use immediately or dry thoroughly for storage.
Roots have tiny nodules filled with nitrogen fixing bacteria, as the deep tap root pulls up minerals from the soil into the plant, it puts out nitrogen that nourishes the soil making it a great cover crop.

Safety

Coumarins in red clover may interact with blood thinning medications, use with caution. Herbalists contend that phytoestrogens may affect hormones in pregnancy and estrogen related conditions, yet others say they help balance and nourish those same conditions.