Description

Alfalfa is the plant Medicago sativa. There are many subspecies. It is a perennial plant growing up to 30 in (0.75 m) in height in a wide range of soil condition. Its small flowers range from yellow to purple. Alfalfa is probably native to the area around the Mediterranean Sea, but it is extensively cultivated as fodder for livestock in all temperate climates.

Alfalfa is a member of the legume family. It has the ability to make nutrients available to other plants both through its very long, deep (6–16 ft [2–5 m]) root system, and because it has a hosts beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria. For these reasons it is often grown as a soil improver or "green manure." The medicinal parts of alfalfa are the whole plant and the seeds. It is used both in Western and traditional Chinese medicine. In Chinese it is...