Skip to main content
← Plants for Bees
Alfalfa
Alfalfa botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Alfalfa

Bloom confirmed nearby

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

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

Reported nearby

Sign in to report this plant blooming nearby.

BeeAI — Ask the old beekeeper
Hey there, honey. Ask me anything about your bees.