Alfalfa
Medicago sativa
Alfalfa's incredibly deep taproots can descend up to 15 meters (49 feet) into the earth to access deep water reserves.
- Scientific name
- Medicago sativa
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fabales › Fabaceae › Medicago
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Temperate grasslands, agricultural pastures, meadows, and disturbed roadsides.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (produces energy via photosynthesis and absorbs minerals from soil).
- Range
- North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia
- Size
- 30 to 90 cm tall
- Lifespan
- 3 to 12 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Alfalfa weevil infestations, fungal root rot, and intensive overgrazing.
- Safe to approach?
- Alfalfa is completely harmless and safe to touch. It is widely grown as livestock forage. Ensure the plants have not been sprayed with agricultural pesticides before handling or foraging.
Alfalfa /ælˈfælfə/, Medicago sativa also called lucerne , is a perennial flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as well as a green manure and cover crop. The name alfalfa is used in North America. The name lucerne is the more commonly used name in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The plant superficially...
Photo: Drepanostoma, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/506343f1-4364-4868-bd58-c94d221cafed.md