Nearctica - Eastern Wildflowers - Fabaceae

Alfalfa

(Medicago sativa)

Color Drawing: O. W. Thome (1885-1905), Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Alien: Native of Europe.

Identification: Usually an erect plant, although sometimes it may be prostrate. Flowers usually blue or violet, although sometimes pink-purple. Flowers small, in clusters on long flower stems. Seedpods coiled. Leaves with 3 leaflets, each leaflet elongate and narrow. Plant 1 to 1.5 feet in height.

Distribution: Throughout North America.

Habitat: Alfalfa is a cultivated plant and commonly escapes to roadsides, fields, and other disturbed habitats.

Flowering period: May to October.

Similar Species: The cloverlike leaves, the coiled seedpods, and the clusters of purple, blue, or violet flowers should readily identify this plant.

Comments: Alfalfa is a major agricultural crop used in producing cattle fodder.