Melilotus alba

Melilotus albus Medik.

Melilotus albus

Melilotus albus, commonly known as white sweetclover or honey clover, is an annual or biennial legume that can reach up to 2.5 meters in height. It has light green, smooth stems and trifoliate leaves that are sparsely distributed along the stem. The plant produces narrow racemes of white flowers about 2-6 inches long, which have a tendency to hang downward. Each flower is approximately 1/3 inch long, consisting of five white petals and a light green calyx with five teeth. The ovoid seedpods are black to dark grey and contain one or two yellow seeds.

Details

Order:

Fabales

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Melilotus

Chemistry:

The characteristic sweet odor of Melilotus albus is derived from coumarin. It also contains dicoumarol, which is an anticoagulant, and has a high sugar content.

Uses:

Melilotus albus is valued as a honey plant and source of nectar for bees. It is often grown for forage and as a cover crop. The foliage and seeds are consumed by wildlife. It has been used in herbal medicine due to its anticoagulant properties and high sugar content.

Flowering time:

Early summer to fall, peaking in mid-summer

Sowing time:

Plant height:

Up to 2.5 meters

Flower color:

White

Suitable habitat:

Full sun, slightly moist to dry conditions, calcareous clay-loam or gravelly soil. Adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions and soil types, including very low nutrient levels and coarse-textured soils. Prefers pH levels ranging from 5.0 to 8.0, is salt-tolerant, drought-resistant, and winter-hardy.

Info

Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.

Tenders

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