Melilotus albus
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| Melilotus albus Medik. |
Melilotus albus (White Sweet Clover or White Melilot), is a legume sometimes grown for forage. Its characteristic sweet odor, 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 1600's for cattle forage purposes and is now widespread throughout Canada and the United States. There it has become invasive and can outcompete native plant species. White sweet clover can grow upto 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 riperian 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.
