Melilotus officinalis
Yellow Sweet Clover
Melilotus officinalis, which is also known as yellow sweet clover, yellow melilot, ribbed melilot, and common melilot, is a species of wild legume that is native to Eurasia and was introduced in North America, Africa, and Australia as a forage crop for livestock. Melilotus officinalis can be either an annual or biennial plant, and can reach 4 to 6 feet (approximately 1.2 to 1.8 meters) in height when mature. Leaves alternate on the stem and possess three leaflets. Yellow flowers bloom in the springtime and summer months, which produce fruit in pods that typically contain one seed each. These seeds can be viable for up to 30 years. Yellow sweet clover plants have large taproots, and have the tendency to grow in groups. The plants themselves have a characteristic sweet odor that invites in pollinators. Yellow sweet clover can be used as pasture or livestock feed for cattle. It is most palatable in the springtime and early summer, but livestock might require time to adjust to its bitter taste, which is brought on by the presence of coumarin in the plant. Yellow sweet clover is a major source of nectar for domestic honey bees, as hives near yellow sweet clover can yield up to 200 lbs of honey per year.
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Full sun to partial shade
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Occasional watering
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Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Medium to heavy
Common name
Yellow Sweet Clover
Latin name
Melilotus officinalis
type
Annual
family
Fabaceae
ph
6.5 - 10.0 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Full sun to partial shade
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Frost
Full Frost Hardy: 5F (-15°C)
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Soil
Medium to heavy
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Water
Occasional watering
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
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When the plant will bloom
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When to harvest
full grown dimensions
1.80 M
1.80 M
Melilotus officinalis
Melilotus officinalis, which is also known as yellow sweet clover, yellow melilot, ribbed melilot, and common melilot, is a species of wild legume that is native to Eurasia and was introduced in North America, Africa, and Australia as a forage crop for livestock. Melilotus officinalis can be either an annual or biennial plant, and can reach 4 to 6 feet (approximately 1.2 to 1.8 meters) in height when mature. Leaves alternate on the stem and possess three leaflets. Yellow flowers bloom in the springtime and summer months, which produce fruit in pods that typically contain one seed each. These seeds can be viable for up to 30 years. Yellow sweet clover plants have large taproots, and have the tendency to grow in groups. The plants themselves have a characteristic sweet odor that invites in pollinators. Yellow sweet clover can be used as pasture or livestock feed for cattle. It is most palatable in the springtime and early summer, but livestock might require time to adjust to its bitter taste, which is brought on by the presence of coumarin in the plant. Yellow sweet clover is a major source of nectar for domestic honey bees, as hives near yellow sweet clover can yield up to 200 lbs of honey per year.
Spring & Summer Flowering
From Late Spring TO Late Summer
Yellow flowers bloom in the springtime and summer months, eventually producing fruit in small seed pods.
Plant Seeds
From Early Spring TO Mid Spring
Planting seeds is easiest in the early springtime, when the soil has become pliable enough to sow seeds directly into the ground. Water occasionally until established.