| Family | Pea or Bean (Fabaceae) |
|---|---|
| Bloom | Spring, summer, fall |
| Habitat | Dry, sun, fields, roadsides |
| Status | Non-Native |
| Cycle | Perennial |
| Height | 1-3′ |
| Flower | Tight spike clusters of blue flowers 1-2 inches long with individual flowers 1/4″ with one large upper petal and 3 smaller lower petals. |
| Leaf | 3-part clover-like leaf, 1-2″ long |
| Notes | Usually found along roads or in fields where it escaped cultivation. Alfalfa is often planted by farmers as a food crop for dairy and beef cattle and to improve soil fertility. As a legume, it fixes nitrogen from the air into the soil through its roots. Flowers range in color from light blue to purple. |
