A winter-annual of grassy places, often on light, sandy and gravelly soils, particularly near the coast. It grows as a weed in lawns and frequently occurred as a casual in fields manured with wool shoddy. It is able to persist as small plants in mown lawns, and can grow as very robust plants in nutrient-rich habitats. Lowland.
The root system is powerful, penetrates deeply into the soil, develops on the basis of the embryonic root of the seed. Alfalfa blue (sowing) (Medicago sativa) has a taproot system, powerful, the main root with lateral branched roots penetrates into the soil to a depth of 10 m.In most wild species, the root system is tap-pulley: the main root is expressed only at the beginning of the growing season, and later a large number of roots of the same thickness are formed. The powerful, deeply located root system of alfalfa improves the structure of the soil, increases its water and air permeability and contributes to the accumulation of humus. Branched stems form a powerful bush 50-150 cm high. The alfalfa leaves are trifoliate, the middle leaf on a longer petiole than the other two, this is how alfalfa leaves differ from clover leaves, the leaves of which have the same petioles. The leaf blade is ellipsoidal, obovate or elongated-elliptical in shape with a serrated upper part, often pubescent on the lower side. The most typical leaves of the middle tier.
This plant is useful.
