World's luckiest man sets new guinness record with 63-leaf clover
Yoshiharu Watanabe, a 45-year-old man, has achieved the incredible feat of growing a clover with an astounding 63 individual leaves, making him the official holder of a new Guinness Record, SSP reported. A firm believer that the number of leaves on a clover directly corresponds to the amount of luck it brings, Watanabe has surpassed all expectations with his extraordinary accomplishment. His journey began in 2009 when he started collecting clovers with more than the typical three leaves and nurturing them in his garden. The resilient plants responded well to his expert care, leading to exceptional specimens with up to 20 leaves. Little did Watanabe know that this endeavor would eventually culminate in an unimaginable achievement of a 63-leaf clover.
Watanabe's fascination with clovers was sparked by their ubiquity in nature. Whenever he stumbled upon a four-leaved, five-leaved, or even seven-leaved clover near paddy fields or parks, he eagerly brought it home with him. Over the years, as the number of leaves increased, his desire to secure a spot in the Guinness World Records ignited. Drawing inspiration from a 56-leaf clover grown by another Japanese man, Shigeo Obara, in 2009, Watanabe became determined to surpass this record.
With each passing year, Watanabe honed his cross-pollination technique, causing the number of leaves on his clovers to steadily rise. In 2020, he successfully achieved a remarkable 49-leaf clover, which was followed by a near-tie with the record at 55 leaves the following year. However, a problem arose as the number of leaves seemed to plateau, defying Watanabe's expectations and dampening his hopes.
The unpredictability of genetics played a role in determining the number of leaves on a clover, occasionally resulting in a decrease or reverting to the standard three leaves, according to Watanabe. Despite this setback, his determination persevered. In a remarkable turn of events in 2023, Watanabe managed to grow a single clover plant graced with an incredible tally of 63 individual leaves.
Measuring the vast number of leaves on this exceptional clover posed a challenge due to their smaller size compared to the typical clovers. Watanabe recounts that it took him over an hour to manually count the leaves of this record-breaking clover. His dedication to this accomplishment and extraordinary green thumb has solidified his place as the world's luckiest man.