The Secrets of Clover

While some may consider white clover a nuisance or even a weed, scientists are now considering it a bell weather of evolution. In fact, it has become a plant to marvel over in some circles.

According to a new study, white clover adapts equally well to cities of all sizes. A recent study in 20 cities in Ontario, Canada--with populations ranging from 400,000 to 1,670--demonstrated this finding. So, why should we take notice? The answer is bigger than those little white “flowers” we find so pesky in our lawns—for those who still have lawns, that is!

It turns out that cities work as great natural test cases for evolution according to research leader, Dr. Marc Johnson. “In many ways, it's an unplanned experiment happening throughout the world over and over again”, says Johnson. With climate change and more than half the world's population living in cities, Dr. Johnson said it is critical to analyze how human endeavors affect the plants and animals around us. And, white clover is the perfect test species to study because, in these studies, it demonstrates that it can evolve and sustain stamina and endurance needed to survive in a variety of climates.

So, the next time we look at white clover, we should do so with respect, since it is one of the most rapidly evolving species of flora on earth. We can take many lessons from this tough little plant as it leads the way to survive in the toughest of urban environments.

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