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Alpine Sweetvetch
Alpine Sweetvetch botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Alpine Sweetvetch

Hedysarum alpinum
In the United States: Native · also called bear root, eskimo potato

Alpine sweetvetch attracts honeybees primarily for its pollen, with small amounts of nectar available during its midsummer bloom. Peak flowering aligns with June to August in northern climates, offering reliable forage in alpine and subarctic habitats. As a legume, it fixes nitrogen but may need protection from root-browsing herbivores in managed settings.

Nectarlow
Pollenmedium
Bloom (US) June–August
Duration~45 days
TypePerennial
Sunfull
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