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Alfalfa
Alfalfa botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Alfalfa

Medicago sativa

Honeybees visit alfalfa primarily for abundant nectar, which can yield significant honey flows in agricultural settings, but the flower's tripping mechanism often injures bees and limits foraging; peak bloom hits in summer with multiple cycles from late spring through early fall; it persists as a long-lived perennial but may spread aggressively outside cultivation and benefits from rotational grazing to maintain health.

Nectarhigh
Pollenlow
BloomMay–September
Zones3-10
TypePerennial
Sunfull
NativeMediterranean and Central Asia — naturalized in North America
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