Sweet Yellow Clover

Sweet Yellow Clover (Melilotus officinalis)

Sweet Yellow Clover is a biennial legume known for its fragrant yellow flowers and ability to improve soil health through nitrogen fixation. This hardy plant is highly valued in regenerative agriculture and permaculture systems for its role in enriching soil, attracting pollinators, and providing forage for livestock. It grows rapidly and tolerates a variety of soils, even thriving in dry or poor conditions. Sweet Yellow Clover is often used in cover cropping, erosion control, and as a forage crop. Its vibrant flowers also offer excellent nectar sources for honeybees, making it an ideal plant for pollinator gardens.

Key Characteristics:

• Nitrogen fixer: As a legume, Sweet Yellow Clover forms a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria to fix nitrogen, improving soil fertility and benefiting future crops. It’s often used in crop rotations and permaculture systems to naturally replenish soil nutrients without synthetic fertilizers.

• Pollinator attractor: The fragrant yellow flowers of Sweet Yellow Clover are highly attractive to bees, especially honeybees, which rely on its rich nectar source for honey production. It’s an excellent choice for meadows, pollinator gardens, or integrating into orchards and food forests to support pollinator populations.

• Soil improver and erosion control: This plant’s deep taproot structure helps break up compacted soils, improving water infiltration and aeration. Its extensive root system also stabilizes the soil, making it valuable for erosion control on slopes or streambanks.

• Livestock forage and silvopasture: Sweet Yellow Clover provides nutritious forage for livestock, particularly in silvopasture systems. It is palatable for grazing animals and can be cut for hay, offering a versatile dual-purpose crop that improves both animal and soil health.

• Medicinal uses: Historically, Sweet Yellow Clover has been used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties. The dried flowers and leaves have been used as a mild anticoagulant and to reduce swelling in bruises or sprains.

Product Details:

• Native range: Europe and Asia, naturalized in North America
• Plant life cycle: Biennial
• Sun requirements: Full sun
• Soil requirements: Dry to medium, well-drained soils; tolerates poor soils
• Mature height: 3-5 feet
• Bloom time: June to August
• Bloom color: Yellow
• USDA Hardiness zones: 3-9

Sweet Yellow Clover is a multi-functional plant that improves soil, feeds pollinators, and provides nutritious forage, all while enriching your garden or farm ecosystem. It's a practical choice for regenerative agriculture, permaculture, and sustainable livestock systems.