Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Also Known As: Lucerne, Purple medick, Purple medick
Plant Family: Pea or Legume (Fabaceae)

Identification Guide: *Print version
Phenophase Field Guide: *Print version

2009 Live Map - View

Did you Know? Alfalfa is the most important forage crop in the world and was first grown to feed livestock in Iran where it is native. Alfalfa sprouts, the sprouted seeds, are a popular salad and sandwich ingredient. Alfalfa is also used in re-vegetation and restoration projects since it provides food for wildlife as well as helping to improve soils. As with other members of the pea family, it is a nitrogen fixing plant which means that bacteria in its root nodules can take nitrogen from the air.

Identification Hints: There are many clover-like plants that have leaves in threes, similar to alfalfa. Alfalfa is distinct in having teeth just on the upper half of the leaflets and a large dense head of purple flowers. Siberian alfalfa (Medicago falcata) has yellow flowers and fruits with straight pods. Sweetclover leaves are very similar but have teeth scattered all along leaf margins.

Phenological Observations of Interest: First Flower, End of Flowering, First Ripe Fruit, All Leaves Withered

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2009 Live Map for Alfalfa

Below you can view the latest 100 observations that have been reported in 2009 for Alfalfa (If the map below is empty then there have not been any 2009 observations reported.)

Use the navigation buttons on the left to zoom in/out and pan around. Click on each place marker to get detail information about that observation.

= First Flower
= End of Flowering
= First Ripe Fruit
= All Leaves Withered

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