# Alfalfa (*Medicago sativa*) Alfalfa is a special plant that farmers grow to feed animals like cows and horses. It has tiny purple flowers and helps enrich the soil where it grows. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 8 - **Habitat:** Farms, Grasslands - **Also known as:** Lucerne ![Alfalfa](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/75_Medicago_sativa_L.jpg&width=800) Photo: Amédée Masclef, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:75_Medicago_sativa_L.jpg) ## Appearance The Alfalfa has slender, upright stems with trifoliate leaves, meaning each leaf stalk carries three oval leaflets. Its small, pea-like flowers are typically vibrant purple or blue, growing in dense, short clusters at the stem tips, resembling miniature grape clusters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fabales - **Family:** Fabaceae - **Genus:** Medicago ## Interesting facts - Alfalfa flowers are tiny, but they attract many busy bees and butterflies! - Ancient Greeks and Romans fed alfalfa to their horses for strength. - It's a cousin to peas and beans, all part of the special legume plant family. - Its name 'Alfalfa' comes from Arabic, meaning 'father of all foods'! ## Special abilities - **Soil Power-Up:** Alfalfa can pull nitrogen from the air and store it in the soil, acting like a natural fertilizer for other plants! - **Water Wizard:** Alfalfa has incredibly deep roots that can reach water far underground, helping it survive long dry spells. - **Cut & Come Again:** Alfalfa can quickly regrow after being cut, allowing farmers to harvest it multiple times throughout the year. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees gather nectar and pollen from its flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — Cattle eat alfalfa as a highly nutritious forage. - **Symbiotic with:** Rhizobium bacteria (*Ensifer meliloti*) — Bacteria in its roots fix nitrogen from the air. - **Eaten by:** [Sheep](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sheep) (*Ovis aries*) — Sheep often graze on alfalfa in pastures. ## Traits - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see alfalfa in the wild, it's best not to eat it unless an adult says it's safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Alfalfa? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Alfalfa? 30-90 cm ### How wide does Alfalfa spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Alfalfa? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Alfalfa bloom? Spring to fall ### Is Alfalfa edible? Yes ### Is Alfalfa toxic? None ### What is Alfalfa's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Lake Missoula](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-missoula) — Montana, US · Natural Landmark - [Old Town Albuquerque](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/old-town-albuquerque) — New Mexico, US · Neighborhood - [Assinins](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/assinins) — Michigan, US · Neighborhood - [Box Butte County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/box-butte-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cumbres-and-toltec-scenic-railroad) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Dawson County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dawson-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Alfalfa](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/alfalfa) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Alfalfa: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/alfalfa)