White Clover
Latin: Trifolium repens
Irish: Seamair bán
This is also a native species that has a long history of use in agriculture and is the most widely used forage legume in contemporary Ireland. As a legume it can fix nitrogen from the air and, being grown so widely, it is a plant that substitutes for a large tonnage of artificial fertiliser and, thereby, represents an enormous annual benefit toIreland’s economy and environment.
In addition to these material contributions it can be argued that clover has also contributed to Irish culture. The literal translation of “Seamair óg”, the Irish name for Shamrock, is “young clover”, and while there is debate about the real identity of Shamrock, this strongly suggests that shamrock is, in fact, young clover, that is, clover in its non-flowering, winter state.
Specimens can be observed in abundance in the Builder’s Paddock and in the rough and waste areas. Weed control regimes that are being applied as part of course management have all but banished white clover from the fairways at Castlewarden.
