Medicago sativa 'Alfalfa'

Fabaceae: a downy or hairless perennial to 75cm. found in grassy places but also cultivated. The flowers are purple and are in stalked heads of 5-40, blooming from June-September. The pods are spirally twisted. Trifoliate leaves. A widely naturalised as a relic of cultivation. Native to the Mediterranean.

USES:

The leaves and young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. The leaves can also be dried for later use. Very rich in vitamins, especially A, B and C, they are also a good source of protein. The leaves are a rich source of vitamin K. A very nutritious food in moderation. The plant contains saponin-like substances, and the eating large quantities of the leaves may be potentially harmful. The seed is commonly used as a sprouted seed which is added to salads, used in sandwiches or cooked in soups. The seed is soaked in warm water for 12 hours, then kept moist in a container in a warm place to sprout. It is ready in about 4 - 6 days.

The plant has antiscorbutic, aperient, diuretic, oxytocic, haemostatic, nutritive, stimulant and tonic properties. It should not be used by people with auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Plants are very deep rooting, descending 6 metres or more into the soil, and are able to fix large quantities of atmospheric nitrogen. Often grown as a green manure.

GROWING INFORMATION:

A very versatile plant that can adapt to a wide range of climatic conditions from cold temperate to warm sub-tropical. It succeeds on a wide variety of soils, but thrives best on a rich, friable, well-drained loamy soil with loose topsoil supplied with lime. Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in situ. The seed can also be sown in situ in autumn. Easy.

HARVESTED: 2020

 

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