Melilotus alba

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Legend for Species Pages

[edit] White Sweetclover

• Moss, Flora of Alberta – Common
• Global Invasive Species Database – Yes
• NatureServe Rank – No
• Haber, Upland – Moderate
• Haber, Wetland – No
• CWF, Status & Invasive Range – Low, BC, SK, AB, MB, ON, QC, NF
• Alberta Revegetation Guidelines – Invasive agronomic: invasive in dry prairie, persistent elsewhere
• The Nature Conservancy – Yes, w/ ESA
• CBCN – Low
• AB Weed – No

[edit] Remarks

At one time, Sweetclovers were widely cultivated for nitrogen fixation and forage production. They are little used as forage, since they contain coumarin, which converted by mold becomes dicoumarol, an anticoagulant, which sometimes caused death of livestock consuming silage or hay made from them.

[1] Link to ISSG Global Invasive Species Database entry for Melilotus alba (Medikus)

Edible: flowers and leaves can be used to make tea, leaves can be eaten raw or boiled, seeds can be added to stews or soups for flavor, dried crushed leaves give baked goods a vanilla-like flavor, and flowers and fruits are used to flavor cheese.

[edit] References

Kershaw, Linda, Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies ISBN 1-55105-229-6 Wikipedia, Coumarin [2]