Legumes

Alfalfa

Scientific Name: Medicago sativa
Life Cycle: Perennial
Growth Habit: Upright
Preferred Soil pH: 6.0 - 8.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 34 F

Upright perennial that grows 15-38 inches tall and has a deep taproot. Typically has three leaflets per leaf; leaflet margins are serrated on the tips. Flowers are usually purple but may be blue, yellow/cream, or variegated.

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Clovers

Berseem clover

Scientific Name: Trifolium alexandrinum
Life Cycle: Summer annual
Growth Habit: Upright
Preferred Soil pH: 6.0 - 8.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 42 F

Upright summer annual that grows 16-20 inches tall. Has narrow leaflets, hollow stems, cream-colored flowers, and a short taproot.

Additional Resources

Berseem clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

SEE ALL BERSEEM ARTICLES

Crimson clover

Scientific Name: Trifolium incarnatum
Life Cycle: Winter annual
Growth Habit: Upright to semi-upright
Preferred Soil pH: 5.5 - 7.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 42 F

Upright to semi-upright winter annual that grows 12-20 inches tall. Has light green leaves covered with soft hairs, crimson (dark red) flowers, and a taproot.

Additional Resources

Crimson clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

SEE ALL CRIMSON CLOVER ARTICLES

Red clover

Scientific Name: Trifolium pratense
Life Cycle: Short-lived perennial
Growth Habit: Upright
Preferred Soil pH: 5.5 - 7.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 42 F

Upright short-lived perennial that grows 12-36 inches tall. Has hairy leaves and stems with three leaflets per leaf. Has pink or lavender flowers, and a taproot. There are medium (double-cut) and mammoth (single-cut) types. Medium types flower the year they are seeded and regrow vigorously after cutting. Mammoth types grow slower, maturing about 2 weeks later than medium types. Mammoth types require vernalization to flower and tolerate drought better than medium types.

Additional Resources

Red clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

SEE ALL RED CLOVER ARTICLES

White clover

Scientific Name: Trifolium repens
Life Cycle: Perennial
Growth Habit: Upright
Preferred Soil pH: 5.5 - 7.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 42 F

Perennial legume with stolons and white flowers that are sometimes tinged lightly pink. Grows 3-14" tall. Has three leaflets per leaf. There are three types of white clover: small, intermediate, and large.

Additional Resources

White clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

See all White clover articles


Cowpea

Black-eyed Pea, Southern Pea, Crowder Pea

Scientific Name: Vigna unguiculata
Life Cycle: Summer annual
Growth Habit: Semi-upright to climbing
Preferred Soil pH: 5.5 - 6.5
Min. Germination Temp.: 58 F

This legume has a long taproot and its growth is similar to soybean. Cowpea also has been used successfully as groundcover in orchards and intercropped with cash crops such as cotton. A bushel of grain is about 60 pounds.

Cowpeas: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

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Medics

Medics: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

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Peas

Austrian winter pea

Scientific Name: Pisum sativum subsp. arvense
Life Cycle: Winter annual
Growth Habit: Climbing
Preferred Soil pH: 6.0 - 7.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 41 F

Climbing cool-season annual that spreads 2-4 feet. Has pale green leaves made of multiple leaflets. Has hollow stems; tendrils; and pink, purple, or red flowers.

SEE ALL AUSTRIAN WINTER PEA ARTICLES

Field pea

Scientific Name: Pisum sativum subsp. arvense
Life Cycle: Winter annual
Growth Habit: Climbing
Preferred Soil pH: 6.0 - 7.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 41 F

Climbing cool-season annual that spreads 2-4 feet. Has pale green leaves made of multiple leaflets. Has hollow stems; tendrils; and pink, purple, or red flowers.

Field pea: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

SEE ALL FIELD PEA ARTICLES


Soybean

Scientific Name: Glycine max
Life Cycle: Summer annual
Growth Habit: Upright
Preferred Soil pH: 5.5 - 7.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 50 F

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Sunn hemp

Scientific Name: Crotalaria junce
Life Cycle: Summer annual
Growth Habit: Upright
Preferred Soil pH: 5.0 - 7.5
Min. Germination Temp.: 60 F

This upright summer legume grows 3-9 feet tall. Has smooth trifoliate leaves, yellow flowers, and an extensive taproot.

Sunn hemp: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

SEE ALL SUNN HEMP ARTICLES


Sweetclovers

Scientific Name: Melilotus spp.
Life Cycle: Biennial or annual
Growth Habit: Upright
Preferred Soil pH: 6.5 - 7.5
Min. Germination Temp.: 42 F

Upright annual or biennial that grows 1.5 – 7 feet tall. Has serrated leaflet edges with three leaflets per leaf. Has white or yellow flowers and as extensive taproot. The white-flowered sweetclover (M. alba) is talker, coarser-stemmed, and has coarser leaves than the yellow-flowered type (M. officinalis). Yellow sweetclover is more drought tolerant, more vigorous as a seedling, flowers earlier, and has spreading growth.

Sweetclovers: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

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Vetches

Chickling vetch

Scientific Name: Lathyrus sativus
Life Cycle: Winter annual
Growth Habit: Climbing
Preferred Soil pH: 6.0 - 7.5
Min. Germination Temp.: 45 F

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Hairy vetch

Scientific Name: Vicia villosa
Life Cycle: Winter annual
Growth Habit: Climbing
Preferred Soil pH: 5.5 - 7.5
Min. Germination Temp.: 60 F

Climbing winter annual that grows 3-7 feet tall. Has tendrils, purple flowers, taproot, many leaflets per leaf.

Hairy vetch: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

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Woolypod vetch

Scientific Name: Vicia villosa subsp. dasycarpa
Life Cycle: Cool season annual
Growth Habit: Upright to semi-upright
Preferred Soil pH: 6.0 - 8.0
Min. Germination Temp.: 42 F

Woolypod vetch: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)

SEE ALL WOOLYPOD VETCH ARTICLES

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