Herb Series: Red Clover

5/5/2016

Updated: 3/15/2025

Trifolium pratense
Family: Fabaceae (Legumiosae) pea and bean family
Parts used: blossoms

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.

Properties and Herbal Actions

alterative
anti-inflammatory
antacid
antiemetic
antibiotic
antimicrobial
antirheumatic
antispasmodic
antitumor
aperient
demulcent
depurative
detoxing
discutient
diuretic
expectorant
nervine
nutritive
relaxant
tonic

definitions of herbal properties

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.
Blood and lymph cleanser and purifier
May reduce blood clotting and plaque in arteries, stroke prevention,
Swollen glands, lymph, cysts, lumps, growths, tumors, etc. (cleanses and expels waste)
Natural source of phytoestrogens which help the body with hormone balance, premenstrual and menopause symptoms, hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, beast health, etc.
Respiratory support: sore throat, coughs, bronchitis, asthma, whooping cough, tuberculosis, etc. - moves mucus from the lungs
Skin conditions: eczema, psoriasis, sores, infection, rashes, burns, wounds, fungus, etc.
Eye conditions: pink eye, sties, inflammation, etc.
Maintains healthy bone density, strengthens bones and teeth
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 was the key ingredient in Dr. Christopher's cancer formula because of the cleansing, purifying properties it has on the blood.

Methods for Use

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
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 (food or skin ointment)
Herbal oil, ointment, salve, cream
Washes, eyewash, mouthwash, gargle
Douche, enema

How to preapre herbs

Wildcrafting/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 sprouting.
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.

Where Can I Get Red Clover

Red clover is very easy to identify and it grows wild in a lot of places so this is a good foraging herb. I personally like to have all the herbs I can growing in my own garden, I found some red clover seeds in the sprouting seeds section of Mountain Rose Herbs website. You can also purchase the dried herb from Mountain Rose Herbs, Bulk Herb Store, or Dr. Christopher's Herb Shop.

Caution

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.

printable for herbal

https://flowerfairies.com/

Herbal Blends

Resources

Herbal Legacy - Red Clover (2022)
Red Clover Benefits - Dr. Axe
Herbal Legacy - Red Clover (2014)
Herbal Academy Red Clover
A Handbook of Native American Herbs by Alma Hutchens, p. 160
A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M Grieve, p. 207
Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss, p. 172
Backyard Medicine (quotes from old herbals and recipes, with dosages), p. 139
Botany in a Day
Floriography, p. 38
Handbook of Nature Study, p. 591
Homegrown Herbs by Tammi Hartung, p. 219
Peterson Field Guides: Western Medicinal Plants and Herbs, p. 159
Planetary Herbology by Michael Tierra, p. 191
Practical Herbalism (full list of constituents and actions, preparations and dosages) p. 254
Prescription Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch, p. 123
Mountain States Medicinal Plants by Briana Wiles, p. 182
North American Wild Flowers, p.290
Nutritional Herbology by Mark Pedersen, p. 144 (details of actions and constituents)
Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide
School of Natural Healing by Dr. John R. Chistopher, p. 56)
Stories of Plants and Trees (N4), p. 240, 347
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody, p. 105
The Herbal Academy: Recipes Monographs: Intermediate Herbal Course, p. 205
The How to Herb Book by Keith and Gordon, p. 51 (specific conditions and how to use)
The Language of Flowers by John Ingram, p. 235
The New Age Herbalist by Richard Mabey, p. 80
The New Healing Herbs by Michael Castleman, p. 482
The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra, p.220
The Wild Wisdom, p. 136
The Woman’s Herbal Apothecary, p. 67
Wildflowers and the stories behind their names, p. 46
Wild Flower Children: The Little Playmates of the Fairies by Elizabeth Gordon

4 Comments

Nancy divorced mom

3/27/2025 11:05:07 am

Found it interesting reading about red clover as a home remedy.

Dumb question,,is it the clover we see all over the place ?

Interesting that you told was good to give for “mystery ills.”

How do we prepare it for douche and enema?

Does it have to be dried first?
Boiled with something?

Annie link

3/28/2025 02:10:23 pm

I have updated this post with identification image from a presentation I did. Red clover is the best, but you can also use the White Dutch clover, which is what you may be referring to seeing all over the place. Make sure you identify correctly before using.

This page details how to prepare a douche or enema, use the herbal tea solution. http://www.anniesplacetolearn.com/enema-douche-bolus-suppository.html

I prefer to use the blossoms fresh when possible but you can use dried as well. Either way will work.

Annie

3/28/2025 02:12:52 pm

Since the link didn't come through the reply, just click on the button under Methods of Preparation in the post above and it will take you to the preparations page where you can scroll to the box for enemas and douches.

Nancy divorced mom

3/28/2025 05:03:30 pm

Sorry to not ask correctly.
We have administered many enemas in our homes. So how to prepare and give one is known.
And read your page on enema-douche-bolts-suppository.
Well done.

What we meant to ask was the preparation of the herb for the solution.

Boil then like steep it?

How strong to make the solution with the herb?

Best to make like a quart at a time or?

Thanks