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Taxon  Report  
Melilotus officinalis  Lam.
Yellow sweetclover
Melilotus officinalis is an annual or biennial herb that is not native to California.
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
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Bloom Period
Genus: Melilotus
Family: Fabaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Toxicity: Do not eat any part of this plant.

Wetlands: Occurs usually in non wetlands, occasionally in wetlands

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS + POWO
Alternate Names:
PLANTSMelilotus alba
PLANTSMelilotus albus var. annuus
PLANTSMelilotus arvensis
PLANTSMelilotus leucanthus
PLANTSMelilotus lutea
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Information about  Melilotus officinalis from other sources

[Wikipedia] Seed Life, Growth Habit, Odor: Seeds can be viable for up to 30 years. Plants have large taproots and tend to grow in groups.[3] Plants have a characteristic sweet odor.[3] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2025. The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 07/15/2025).