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Fabaceae
Melilotus

not marked as a favorite taxon *Melilotus officinalis (Linnaeus) Lamarck. Common name: Yellow Melilot, Yellow Sweetclover, Ribbed Melilot. Phenology: Apr-Oct. Habitat: Fields, roadsides, disturbed areas. Distribution: Native of Eurasia.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Eurasia

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Can, F, FNA11.2, G, GrPl, Il, Mi, Mo3, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, S13, SE3, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Isely (1998), Stace (2010); Trifolium officinale L.; = Trigonella officinalis (Linnaeus) Coulot & Rabaute — Mittal & Dangi (2025); < Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. — K1, K4. Basionym: Trifolium officinale L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Melilotus officinalis - FNA11.2

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Great Plains: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image #1 of Melilotus officinalis© Stan Gilliam | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Melilotus officinalis© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Melilotus officinalis© Evan Raskin | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Melilotus officinalis© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Melilotus officinalis© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect to leaning-sprawling biennial of fields, roadsides and other open, disturbed habitats.

Stems: Stems often lax, furrowed and angular (sometimes with red ribs in lower parts), branched, smooth to somewhat hairy.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, on petioles with a pair of lance-shaped stipules, divided into 3 oblong-oval leaflets, each about â…“ in. long and toothed in the upper half.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in long (to 6 in.) racemes on stalks from middle and upper leaf axils, often on only 1 side of the stalk; each flower yellow, to â…“ in. long, angled downward, bilaterally symmetric, with typical pea-flower shape.

Fruits: Fruit a small, beaked, flattened pod..

Comments:

Height: 2-7 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect to leaning-sprawling biennial of fields, roadsides and other open, disturbed habitats.

stems: Stems often lax, furrowed and angular (sometimes with red ribs in lower parts), branched, smooth to somewhat hairy.

leaves: Leaves alternate, on petioles with a pair of lance-shaped stipules, divided into 3 oblong-oval leaflets, each about â…“ in. long and toothed in the upper half.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in long (to 6 in.) racemes on stalks from middle and upper leaf axils, often on only 1 side of the stalk; each flower yellow, to â…“ in. long, angled downward, bilaterally symmetric, with typical pea-flower shape.

fruits: Fruit a small, beaked, flattened pod..

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: