How to Grow and Care for Medicks

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family of Fabaceae. The common name alfalfa is mainly used in North America. In the rest of the world, this crop is called "lucerne." This plant looks similar to clover due to its purple flowers.

The black medick plant matures anywhere from 15 to 79 cm in height, with stems that lie flat at the beginning of growth and later stand up to be erect. The black medick is a plant known for making excellent honey. It is sometimes planted specifically for this purpose. It is also a good pasture plant for livestock feed; however, it is not overly palatable to cattle.

Bur clover is known by a number of names, including Medicago polymorpha, burr medic, and creeping burr. This legume is a green mulch, as it can correct nitrogen problems in soil, control erosion, and increase organic matter in the soil. It is an effective forage for sheep and can be used as an emergency forage if other crops fail. Bur clover carries the risk of becoming invasive.

Spotted medick (Medicago arabica) is an annual herbaceous plant with dark heart-shape-spotted trefoil leaves that are easy to identify. Blooms delicate yellow flowers from spring through summer. Thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It improves the nitrogen in the soil where it is planted and spring do well as a subsidiary crop. Attracts bees and livestock.

Tree medick (Medicago arborea) is a low-altitude, sun-loving shrub from southern Europe. As a legume, it improves the soil with nitrogen. Insects feed on the leaves while honey bees gather the nectar. Tree medick's similarity to alfalfa makes it good animal fodder, and it has been used for this purpose since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans.