General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Water Preferences: Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Purple
Uses: Suitable for forage
Dynamic Accumulator: Nitrogen fixer
Fe (Iron)
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Self fertile
Pollinators: Self
Moths and Butterflies
Bees
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil

Image
Common names
  • Alfalfa
  • Medic
  • Lucerne

Photo Gallery
Location: Blenheim New Zealand
Date: 2020-01-10
Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2014-06-15
Location: Growing wild near CO/NM border
Date: 2021-07-04
Location: Nature reserve, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-08-26
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-09-27
Location: Nature reserve, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2010-06-29
Location: Growing wild near CO/NM border
Date: 2021-07-04
Location: Growing wild near CO/NM border
Date: 2021-07-04
Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Date: 2009-06-12
Location: Northeastern, Texas
Date: 2014-09-17

Courtesy Sustainable Seed Company
  • Uploaded by vic
Location: Nature reserve, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-08-26
Location: Nature reserve, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-08-26
Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Date: 2009-06-12
Field 0f recently mowen hay
Location: Western NY State
credit: Pollinator at en.wikipedia
Comments:
  • Posted by Catmint20906 (PNW WA half hour south of Olympia - Zone 8a) on Jul 31, 2014 12:48 PM concerning plant:
    Medicago sativa is a larval host plant for a number of butterfly species including: Northern Cloudywing Skipper, Silvery Blue, Painted Lady, Orange Sulphur, Clouded Sulphur.
  • Posted by Newyorkrita (North Shore, Long Island, NY ) on Sep 27, 2013 4:57 PM concerning plant:
    Alfalfa is commonly grown as hay to feed livestock, especially horses. It also makes a nice grazing meadow for horses. Personally, I think the blooms are pretty. Every once in a while I grow some alfalfa as an ornamental plant.
  • Posted by Mindy03 (Delta KY) on Sep 20, 2011 4:22 PM concerning plant:
    Honey bees get nectar, pollen, and honeydew from this plant

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