Yellow Sweet-clover

(Melilotus officinalis)

Herbaceous biennials. First-year plants do not bloom. Second-year plants grow 3-5’ high and are bush-like. Erect stems are multi-branched and often hollow.

Other names for this plant include:

• Common names: white sweetclover, yellow trefoil, yellow melilot, common melilot
• Scientific names: Melilotus alba; M. arvensis; M. leucanthus; M. lutea; M. officinalis var. micranthus

Ecological threat:

• Invades prairies, savannas, dunes, roadsides, and abandoned fields.
• Fire stimulates germination of sweet clover seeds and can exacerbate invasions.