Sweetclover
Melilotus officinalis
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Melilotus
- Species:
- Melilotus officinalis
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Biennial | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 4-6 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Bloom Months:
- may, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Native Range
United States: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Agrotis orthogonia, Agrotis venerabilis, Alfalfa Looper (Autographa californica), Bagworm moth (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis), Bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata), California Tussock Moth (Leptarctia californiae), Common snailcase bagworm (Apterona helix), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), Euxoa brevipennis, Euxoa catenula, Euxoa costata, Euxoa declarata, Euxoa flavicollis, Euxoa infausta, Euxoa laetificans, Euxoa moerens, Euxoa niveilinea, Eversmann's rustic (Actebia fennica), Green Cloverworm Moth (Hypena scabra), Io moth (Automeris io), Lucerne Moth (Nomophila nearctica), Omiodes Leafroller (Omiodes simialis), Parectopa occulta, Peppered Moth (Biston betularia), Salt Marsh Moth (Estigmene acrea), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata), Western yellowstriped armyworm (Spodoptera praefica), Xenotemna pallorana, Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus), Western Sulphur (Colias occidentalis)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Morrison bumble bee (Bombus morrisoni), Morrison bumble bee (Bombus morrisoni), Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevadensis), Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevadensis), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), Obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus), Obscure bumble bee (Bombus caliginosus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus), Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus), Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis), Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola), Yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, fertile loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers calcareous soils; tolerates drought