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What is alfalfa?

Michael T. Murray
Michael T. Murray
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POSTED BY Michael T. Murray

Most people are surprised to learn that alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a member of the pea family and therefore a legume. A perennial plant, alfalfa has deep roots, trifoliate leaves, bluish purple flowers, and tiny kidney-shaped seeds. Although alfalfa, which is known as Lucerne in many parts of the world, ...

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Most people are surprised to learn that alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a member of the pea family and therefore a legume. A perennial plant, alfalfa has deep roots, trifoliate leaves, bluish purple flowers, and tiny kidney-shaped seeds. Although alfalfa, which is known as Lucerne in many parts of the world, is grown primarily as forage for livestock, the leaves are also dried, ground into a powder, and compressed into tables for use as a nutritional supplement for humans. Alfalfa seeds, however, are the part of this plant that provide the food with which we're most familiar - alfalfa's threadlike white sprouts with their tiny green tops and mild, sweet flavor.

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