# Sainfoin (*Onobrychis viciifolia*)

Sainfoin is a pretty flowering plant that grows in fields and meadows. It has lovely pink flowers that attract bees and butterflies, making it a favorite among pollinators.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Sainfoin](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/OnobrychisViciifolia.jpg&width=800)

Photo: en:User:Ramin Nakisa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OnobrychisViciifolia.jpg)

## Appearance

The Sainfoin has striking upright spikes of pea-like flowers, typically bright pink or purple, often with darker veins. Its leaves are compound, feathery, and made up of many small, oval leaflets, giving it a delicate appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Fabales
- **Family:** Fabaceae
- **Genus:** Onobrychis

## Interesting facts

- Honey from Sainfoin is famous for its mild, delicate flavor.
- Sainfoin's strong roots are excellent at stopping soil erosion.
- The plant's name means 'healthy hay' in French, showing its value.
- This plant was once used to help people with digestive problems.

## Special abilities

- **Soil Supercharger:** Sainfoin's roots team up with tiny bacteria to add super important nutrients, called nitrogen, right into the soil.
- **Drought Warrior:** Its long taproots reach deep into the ground, letting Sainfoin find hidden water even when the topsoil is dry.
- **Bloat Buster:** Farmers love Sainfoin because its special leaves can be eaten by animals without causing a tummy ache, unlike some other plants.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-100 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects abundant nectar
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — common visitor for nectar
- **Eaten by:** Domestic sheep (*Ovis aries*) — important forage crop
- **Eaten by:** Domestic cattle (*Bos taurus*) — nutritious feed source
- **Symbiotic with:** Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (*Rhizobium leguminosarum*) — fixes nitrogen in roots

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [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.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [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.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always check with an adult before picking any flowers.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Sainfoin?

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 Sainfoin?

30-100 cm

### How wide does Sainfoin spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Sainfoin?

1-2 cm

### When does Sainfoin bloom?

Late spring to mid-summer

### Is Sainfoin edible?

Yes

### Is Sainfoin toxic?

None

### What is Sainfoin's lifecycle?

Perennial

## 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*)

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Source: [Sainfoin: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sainfoin)