Melilotus albus
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 Melilotus albus
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| Melilotus albus Medik. |
Melilotus albus (Bokhara Clover, Honey Clover, Tree clover, Sweet Clover White-flowered Sweet Clover, White Sweet Clover, White Melilot), is a legume sometimes grown for forage. Its characteristic sweet odour, intensified by drying, is derived from coumarin.
It has been used in herbal medicine. White sweet clover is a major source of nectar for an apiary.
White Sweet Clover is native to Europe and Asia. It was introduced to North America in the 1600s for cattle forage purposes and is now widespread throughout Canada and the United States. There it has become invasive and can out compete native plant species. White sweet clover can grow up to 2 meters in height and can produce abundant amounts of seeds that readily float and disperse in water. This has allowed the plant to colonize natural habitat such as riparian areas all across much of North America.
It is nonetheless favoured for honey production and for its nitrogen fixing ability in preparing agricultural soil for future crops.
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