Medicago
alfalfa, bur-clover, medic
5 species
3 subspecies and varieties
3 subspecies and varieties
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Medicago arabica – spotted medic
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, also in the southeastern U.S.
Habitat: Disturbed areas including wastelots, roadsides and fields.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, also in the southeastern U.S.
Habitat: Disturbed areas including wastelots, roadsides and fields.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Annual
Medicago lupulina – hop clover, black medic
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout Washington; widely distributed throughout much of North America.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, lawns, wastelots, and other disturbed areas, often on sandy or gravelly soil.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout Washington; widely distributed throughout much of North America.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, lawns, wastelots, and other disturbed areas, often on sandy or gravelly soil.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Medicago minima – little bur-clover, bur medic
Distribution: Occurring in the east end of the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; Washington to California, east along the southern U.S. to eastern North America, also in the Hells Canyon area in Idaho.
Habitat: Roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed, open areas.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring in the east end of the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; Washington to California, east along the southern U.S. to eastern North America, also in the Hells Canyon area in Idaho.
Habitat: Roadsides, wastelots, and other disturbed, open areas.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Medicago polymorpha – bur-clover, toothed medic, smooth medic
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southwestern British Columbia to California, scattered eastward across much of North America.
Habitat: Waste ground and disturbed areas, mostly at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southwestern British Columbia to California, scattered eastward across much of North America.
Habitat: Waste ground and disturbed areas, mostly at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Medicago sativa – alfalfa, lucerne
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, wastelots, and other disturbed, open areas; often escaping from commercial cultivation.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-October
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, wastelots, and other disturbed, open areas; often escaping from commercial cultivation.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: May-October
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
• ssp. falcata – yellow alfalfa
• ssp. sativa – alfalfa, lucerne
• ssp. ×varia – alfalfa
