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Alfalfa
Alfalfa botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Alfalfa

Medicago sativa
In the United States: Cultivated · also called alfalfa, lucerne

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
Bloom (US) May–September
Hardiness zones3-11
Duration~2 months
TypePerennial
Sunfull

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