White Blossom Sweetclover Melilotus officinalis

White blossom sweetclover is not a true clover but is probably more closely related to alfalfa. Sweetclover leaves look much like alfalfa, but the margins of alfalfa leaflets are serrated only on the tips. Sweetclover leaflets are serrated around their entire margin. It is typically a biennial, grows 2-6 feet high, and as the name implies, produces white flowers. It is a favorite amongst bee keepers for its honey production, and is also useful for erosion control and cover crop usages.

When compared to the yellow flowering types of sweetclover, white blossom blooms roughly 2 weeks later, usually grows more upright, possesses coarser stems, and is more productive and more winter-hardy. However, white blossom sweetclover does not persist as well in pastures and less tolerant of adverse conditions than yellow blossom varieties. White blossom produces lighter colored honey than yellow blossom sweet clover.

Typical plant height is between 3-5 feet with white blossoms that are sweet smelling and a favorite of honey bees and give their honey a recognizable flavor.

While technically a perennial, white sweet clover is not persistent and is used as a biennial and reseeded annually to provide consistent coverage. Sweetclover can produce and deposit a high percentage of hard seeds that persist in the soil for many years. This accounts for its consistent volunteering in many areas.

It does well in a variety of soils and has no pH preference. The average germination time is seven to 10 days for white sweet clover seeds.

As a cover crop, white blossom can help with soil stability, soil penetration, and nitrogen contribution.

For optimal performance, sweetclover should be inoculated with Rhizobium Sinorhizobium meliloti. This is best achieved with Nitro-Coat®.