Learn More Details About This Plant

Plant Data

Names and Taxonomy

  • Common Names: “Alfalfa, Lucerne”
  • Synonyms: “Medicago tunetana, Medicago sativa ssp. sativa”
  • Family: Fabaceae
  • Genus Information: AZ: 4, CA: 7, NV: 3, NM: 3, UT: 3, TX: 6

Habit and Size

  • Duration: Perennial
  • Type: “Herb”
  • Habit: Erect / Decumbent
  • Shape: Rounded / Irregular
  • Size: 2' to 3' x Variable
  • Stem: Multiple erect or decumbent stems growing from a thick, woody crown; mostly hairless or with small, soft hairs

Leaves

  • Color: Bright green
  • Shape: Ovate, trifoliate (pinnately compound with the central leaflet on a longer stalk)
  • Edge: Serrated at the tip
  • Ligule-Petiole:
  • Arrangement: Alternate
  • Leaf Retention: Deciduous

Flowers and Fruit

  • Sex: Hermaphroditic
  • Flower Color: Purple, blue, greenish-yellow, or multicolored
  • Flower Size: 13 mm (approx. 0.5 inches) long
  • Number of Petals: 5 petals arranged into a standard pea-like banner, wings, and keel structure
  • Bloom: April–October
  • Fruit: Spirally-coiled or sickle-type pods enclosing several small, kidney-shaped seeds

Habitat and Growing Conditions

  • Water Use: Low (Highly drought tolerant via deep taproot)
  • Light: Full Sun
  • Soil: Medium-textured, well-drained soils; sensitive to high acidity (prefers pH 6.0–8.0)
  • Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides, agricultural fields, waste sites

Distribution

  • Distribution: Introduced from southwestern Asia; now naturalized widely throughout North America (including Canada and Mexico)
  • Seen: Barstow, CA and Mount Charleston, NV
  • Elevation: Below 4,500 ft (1,372 m) overall; grows below 2,450 ft (747 m) in California

Gallery

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

A hardy perennial legume observed thriving along a disturbed desert roadside. Mount Charleston, NV

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

A hardy perennial legume observed thriving along a disturbed desert roadside.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

A hardy perennial legume observed thriving along a disturbed desert roadside.