Medicago sativa

El nombre botánico de la alfalfa (lucerna) — una leguminosa perenne de raíces profundas y fijadora de nitrógeno, cultivada por sus crujientes brotes y como forraje y abono verde.
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Medicago sativa — alfalfa (lucerne)

Medicago sativa is the botanical name for alfalfa, also known as lucerne — a deep-rooted perennial legume in the pea family (Fabaceae) grown both for nutritious sprouts and as a soil-enriching forage and green-manure crop. It is the species behind our alfalfa range within the wider vegetable collection.

History & origin

Alfalfa is one of the oldest cultivated forage crops, native to central and western Asia and grown for thousands of years. It spread early to the Mediterranean — ancient writers record it being introduced to Greece — and from there across Europe and, much later, around the world as a premier feed for livestock.

Its names hint at that journey: the word alfalfa comes through Spanish from Arabic, while sativa simply means "cultivated." In Britain and much of Europe it is traditionally known as lucerne, long valued as one of the most productive and protein-rich forage legumes a farmer can grow.

Botanical characteristics

Medicago sativa is a clover-like perennial with trifoliate leaves, clusters of small purple to violet pea-flowers, and distinctive coiled, spiral seed pods. Its defining feature lies underground: a remarkably deep taproot that can reach several metres, drawing up water and nutrients and, with the help of root-nodule bacteria, fixing atmospheric nitrogen to enrich the soil. That same vigour makes it both a long-lived hay crop and an excellent green manure.

Growing Medicago sativa from seed

As a green manure, sow the fine seed onto cleared, warm ground in the growing season, let it establish, then cut and dig it in before flowering to release its nitrogen into the soil. The same seed sprouts readily indoors for crisp salad shoots in a matter of days. Our vegetable growing guide covers the basics, and the vegetable sowing calendar helps with timing.

Ready to grow it? Browse the range or read up first.

Related categories: Alfalfa · Cover Crops · Microgreens & Sprouts · Legumes · All Vegetables

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¿Cuál es la diferencia entre alfalfa y mielga?
Ninguna — son dos nombres de la misma planta, Medicago sativa. Mielga es el nombre tradicional en gran parte de Europa; alfalfa es el más extendido en otros lugares. ¿Por qué es buena Medicago sativa para el suelo?
Su raíz pivotante muy profunda rompe el suelo compactado y extrae nutrientes, mientras que las bacterias de los nódulos radiculares fijan el nitrógeno del aire para enriquecer el suelo. ¿A qué familia pertenece la alfalfa?
Es una leguminosa, de la familia de las fabáceas (Fabaceae), razón por la que produce flores moradas similares a las de los guisantes y fija nitrógeno en sus raíces. ¿Puede usarse la misma semilla para germinar en interior y sembrar en exterior?
Sí — la semilla fina germina en interior para obtener brotes de ensalada en pocos días, y la misma semilla sembrada en exterior produce un excelente abono verde o cultivo forrajero.