The great shamrock shortage of 2010

Habitat loss and a cold winter have taken a hard toll on Ireland's national plant. Is 'the wearing of the green' on St. Patrick's Day in jeopardy?

Will Ireland's traditional shamrock soon be nothing but a fantasy?
(Image credit: Wikicommons)

Ireland is suffering from a "severe shamrock shortage" this year, say local botanists. What's behind the new scarcity of Ireland's national plant, and how might traditionally minded St. Patrick's Day revelers—who favor a shamrock pinned to the lapel—be affected? Here, an instant guide to the great shamrock shortage of 2010:

What's a shamrock, anyway?

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