Yellow sweet clover
Melilotus officinalis L.
Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Erect or ascending, much branched, glabrous to sparsely pubescent.
- Leaves
- Alternate, pinnately 3-foliolate, stalked; leaflets oblanceolate to egg-shaped, .4 to 1 inch long, .2 to .8 inch wide, glabrous; margins toothed.
- Inflorescence
- Raceme, 2 to 6 inches long, spike-like, 30-70-flowered, from leaf axils.
- Flower
- Calyces short, bell-shaped, lobes 5, nearly equal; tips pointed; corollas papilionaceous, 1/5 to 1/4 inch long, yellow; stamens 10, 9 united, 1 free.
- Fruit
- Pods, egg-shaped, 1/10 to 1/5 inch long, glabrous, brown, usually 1-seeded; seeds yellowish brown.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Disturbed sites, rangeland, roadsides, waste areas.
Practical Information
- Forage Value
- Provides fair forage value for livestock and deer but can be toxic to livestock when moldy.
- Uses
- Sweetclover is sometimes used for forage and soil stabilization. It can become a problem weed because it is one of the first plants to appear on disturbed sites. It is an excellent plant for honey production.
Additional Notes
Comments
Yellow sweet clover may be more abundant in some years than in others. Like alfalfa (Medicago sativa), it has a high water consumption rate, and can cause bloat in livestock. The leaves have a vanilla-like odor when crushed.
Special Notes: See white sweet clover Melilotus alba.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Fabaceae - Bean Family
- Life Span
- Annual
- Height
- 1-5 feet
- Origin
- Introduced
- Last Updated
- 2008-06-04
Color Groups
Yellow Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: May, June, July, August, September