Selected North Dakota and Minnesota Range Plants (continued)EB-69, 1998 Common Name: Plains pricklypear Species: Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Family: Cactaceae - Cactus Family
Description: A plant that lies flat on the ground, rising only the height of one stem segment, usually clumped or forming a mat. Stem segments are bluish-green to gray, up to 12 cm long, flattened, and egg-shaped; the spine-bearing areas rather crowded, mostly less than 1 cm apart. Spines 1-10 or more per area, present on all potential spine-bearing areas, the upper area with more spines than the lower. Spines on upper half 2-4 cm long, much less on lower area; spines rigid, deflexed, weakly barbed, or long and hairlike; the apically barbed bristle yellow. Flowers 4-7 cm wide, occasionally larger, yellow to pinkish or red. Fruit egg-shaped, 2-4 cm long, dry, spiny all over; seeds disc-shaped, with a prominent, irregular margin, tan to white. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season plant begins flowering in late June through August. Habitat: Plains pricklypear usually grows on dry soils of prairies, pastures, and roadsides. It is commonly found on hillsides, buttes, clay flats, and light textured soils. Distribution: This species occurs in western and central Canada, south into north central United States to Texas and Arizona. This plant can be found in the western third of North Dakota on drier sites, most commonly found in the southwest region. Forage Value: This species provides little forage value because of its sharp spines. It is considered an increaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: This species provides some feed value to large mammals, including white-tailed deer and antelope. The seeds and fruit are utilized quite readily by many small rodents, rabbits, songbirds, and upland gamebirds. Rabbits and many small rodents cache the seeds of prickly pair which provides opportunity for further spread of this species. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Winter fat, White sage Species: Ceratoides lanata (Pursh) Howell Synonym: Eurotia lanata (Pursh) Moq. Family: Chenopodiaceae - Goosefoot Family
Description: Perennial plant monoecious or dioecious spreading from shrubby base, with a gray-brown exfoliating bark, the woody base 0.5-1(2) dm tall, with many erect annual stems to 5 dm long, these annual stems have dense star-shaped-pubescence and having long, soft hairs to somewhat densely and wooly, early growth grayish but becoming reddish-brown. Leaves alternate, linear or narrowly lanceolate, 1-4 cm long, 1.7-2.5 mm wide, entire, revolute, with dense star-shaped and simple hairs, the primary ones with reduced secondary branches in a condensed bundle or cluster in their axils. Annual branches bearing flowers their entire length; staminate flowers uppermost on the stems, few to many in short headlike, dense clusters to spikelike axillary clusters, the lower clusters often with 1-3 pistillate flowers at base, calyx lobes 4, obovate, 1.5-2 mm long. Stamens 4, projected beyond pistil. Pistillate flowers 2-4 in the axils, naked, each enclosed by 2 bracteoles which are ovate, united and similar in structure, densely covered in coarse, long hairs and becoming 4-6 mm long, each with a hornlike tip. Stigmas 2, projected beyond. Fruit oval, flat, 1.8-2.2 mm long, white pubescent. Origin: Native Growing Season: A cool season forb which begins growing in May and flowering in late June and July in North Dakota. Habitat: This species grows commonly on dry prairies and hills with range in good to excellent condition. Also found on dry clay or chalky soils, often abundant in saline or alkaline soil. Distribution: Occurs from eastern Washington, south to California, east to western North Dakota, south to Kansas and New Mexico. This species is found west of the Missouri River, sometimes east of the Missouri River in bordering counties. Forage Value: This species is listed as one of the more palatable and valuable broadleaf plants to livestock. Winter fat is grazed by all classes of livestock, considered excellent forage for sheep and goats, good forage for cattle and deer. This plants common name is derived from its high value for winter feed on pasture. Many publications report a very high crude protein content, often exceeding 30 percent. This plant will decrease with overuse and overgrazing due to high selectivity and palatability. Wildlife Value: This species provide excellent forage for pronghorn antelope, elk, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Leadplant Species: Amorpha canescens Pursh. Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Erect or ascending perennial legume, often rhizomatous, 3-10 dm tall. Stems 1-several, often branched, usually densely pubescent but becoming smooth. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate; leaflets 13-20 pairs plus 1; leaflet blades ovate-oblong, oblong-elliptic, elliptic, or rarely ovate, usually white to grayish pubescence, marginally entire; apex obtuse to broadly rounded, basally obtuse or rounded. Petioles 0.5-3 mm long, densely pubescent; stipules inconspicuous, falling off early, 1-3.5 mm long; petiolutes 0.5-1 mm long, stipels slender. Inflorescence of several racemes in axils of upper leaves and forming a compound cluster, mostly 3-30 or more in number; racemes densely flowered, 7-15 cm long. Pedicels 0.5-1.5 mm long, calyx tube spiral, about 2 mm long, densely pubescent, hairs somewhat obsuring resinous glands, lobes 5, triangular lanceolate; petal 1, bright violet, broadly heart-shaped, with a slender claw, incurved and enclosing stamens and pistils; stamens 10, lower 2 mm of filaments united into a tube; ovary about 1 mm long, densely pilose, style 4-6 mm long, densely upward pubescent. Legume 3.5-4 mm long, about 2 mm wide, with a stipelike base, having long, soft hairs grayish in color; seeds 2-2.8 mm long, 1-1.4 mm wide, olive-brown in color, smooth. Origin: Native Growing Season: A shrub which begins growing in North Dakota in May and produces numerous tiny violet-blue flowers from June through August. Habitat: This species has almost exclusively been associated with bluestems (Andropogon spp.). It is infrequent to common in prairies, hillsides, open woodlands, and roadsides. Distribution: Occurs in the Great Plains region from southcentral Canada to central Texas, but infrequent westward. This species can be found throughout North Dakota. It is found in all but the northeastern forested region of Minnesota. Forage Value: This species has excellent forage value for livestock, accounting for decreased abundance with intensive grazing. It is highly nutritive and palatable. Grazed primarily in spring. This species is categorized as a decreaser to livestock grazing. Wildlife Value: The seeds and legumes of this plant may provide limited value to the diets of selected songbirds, sharp-tailed grouse, prairie chickens, wild turkeys and various mice. The browse and foliage provides excellent feed for white-tailed deer, mule deer, antelope, rabbits, ground squirrels and various mice, but due to limited availability, not a required plant in their diets. The plant also provides nesting and concealment for suspended nesting birds and ground nesting birds. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Names: Western snowberry, Buckbrush, Wolfberry Species: Symphoricarpos occidentalis Hook. Family: Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle Family
Description: Shrubs to 1.5 m tall, twigs pubescent to glabrate; rhizomatous, forming large colonies. Leaves ovate, elliptic or suborbicular, infrequently obovate, 2-6 cm long, 1-3.5 cm wide, juvenile shoots sometimes with leaves to 10 cm long and 8 cm wide, upper surface glabrate, lower surface whitened and variously pubescent, apex acute to obtuse or rounded, margins entire or with several large, blunt teeth, usually ciliate, base cuneate or broadly so, rounded, or nearly truncate; petiole 2-7 mm long, pubescent to glabrate. Flowers several in spicate clusters; calyx lobes broadly triangular, less than 1 mm long; corolla campanulate with the lobes spreading, 5-8 mm long, often wider than long, outer surface glabrous, the throat densely hirsute within, the lobes rounded; stamens and style exserted. Fruit white, fleshy, globose, 6-9 mm in diameter, calyx persistent; nutlets yellowish, ovoid to ellipsoid and slightly flattened, 2.5-3.5 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, essentially smooth. Origin: Native Growing Season: A cool season shrub which begins growth in early May. It starts flowering in July with the fruit persisting throughout the winter. Habitat: This species forms dense patches in water collection sites on the prairie or in coulees. It is also common to hillsides, open woods, or river banks. Distribution: Western snowberry occurs from Montana east to Minnesota, and as far south as northwest Missouri, western Kansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. This species is common through-out North Dakota but more prevalent in the central region. The plant is found commonly in Minnesota except in the northeastern counties. Forage Value: This species provides good forage value for sheep and fair for goats. Cattle do not actively select this plant for forage when other grasses and forbs are green and palatable, but cattle often eat it late in the summer when grasses and forbs become mature and western snowberry leaves are still green. Wildlife Value: The fruit of this plant ripen in the fall and frequently remain available on the brush for half a year or more. These fruits are valuable food for sharp-tailed grouse and various non-game birds. The foliage and twigs of this plant are eaten extensively by deer and antelope. Snowberry is also useful as nesting cover and protective cover for upland nesting waterfowl and gamebirds, rabbits, and other small animals. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Groundplum milkvetch Species: Astragalus crassicarpus Nutt. Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Perennial with a thick woody taproot and branching caudex. Stems several, usually reclined, ascending, or suberect, 1-6 dm tall, with appressed or somewhat ascending hairs. Leaves 4-13 cm long, alternate, odd-pinnate, mostly subsessile; stipules 3-9 mm long; leaflets 15-27, oblanceolate, elliptic, oblong-elliptic, or suborbicular, 3-17 mm long, 3-6 mm wide, stiff hairs beneath, sparsely hairy or glabrate above. Peduncles axillary 2-10 cm long; racemes 5- to 25-flowered. Calyx tube usually 6-9 mm long, black-straight, appressed hairs, teeth 1.5-4 mm long; corolla purple, light blue, pinkish, rarely white or yellowish-white, or white and keel tip purplish; banner 16-24 mm long, notched; wings 16-18 mm long; keel 11-15 mm long, clawed. Legumes globose or plumply obovoid-oblong, 1.5-2.5 cm long, nearly as thick, glabrous; seeds 2-3 mm long, black. Characterized by large fleshy fruits which closely resemble a small plum. Upon maturity, fruit surface exposed to sun becomes purple while the surface next to ground remains green. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season legume which begins growth in North Dakota in late April, early May and flowers in June and July. Habitat: This species is commonly encountered in a variety of upland soils on prairies, rocky open wooded hillsides, stream valleys, and roadsides. Prefers to grow in deep, fertile soils. Distribution: Occurs throughout the Great Plains, from Manitoba south to western Missouri, from Texas north to Montana and Alberta. The plant is found throughout North Dakota and in the prairie region on Minnesota. Forage Value: This species is freely grazed by livestock and decreases in abundance with increased grazing pressure. Has good forage value for all classes of livestock. This plant is categorized as a decreaser to livestock grazing. Wildlife Value: The legumes and seeds of this plant provide some feed value for songbirds, wild turkey, various mice, and kangaroo rats. The foliage is consumed to a small extent by antelope and deer. Other: Groundplum milkvetch is an important legume for fixing nitrogen in the soil that will ultimately be utilized by associated plants. The fruit is edible by humans. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Missouri milkvetch Species: Astragalus missouriensis Nutt. Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Low perennials, loosely tufted or lying flat on the ground, short stemmed or sometimes slightly stemmed, with a taproot and branching caudex, densely straight, stiff, appressed hairs or minutely so throughout with some ax-shaped hairs; herbage silvery-white to greenish-gray. Stems 1-4 cm long, usually prostrate and radiating. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate, 4-10 cm long; stipules 2-9 mm long, lanceolate, distinct; leaflets 9-17, elliptic to narrowly obovate, acute, obtuse, or terminating with a small, abrupt tip, 7-13 mm long. Peduncles equaling or exceeding the leaves, becoming prostrate in fruit; racemes 3- to 9-flowered. Pedicels to 2 mm long; flowers 3-15, rose-purple; calyx tube 6.5-9.5 mm long, grayish and usually blackish - strigulose, teeth 1.5- 3.5 mm long; banner 14-24 mm long; wings 13-19 mm long, claws 7-10 mm long; keel 4-6 mm long, claws 7-10 mm long. Legumes 1.5-3 cm long, 6-8 mm wide, sessile, oblong-elliptic, straight or nearly so, subcylindric but becoming laterally compressed, abruptly contracted into a beak to 4 mm long, body cross-corrugated and having straight, stiff, appressed hairs; seeds 2-3 mm long, brown, usually wrinkled and lustrous. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season legume which begins growing in North Dakota in late-April and flowers in July. Habitat: This species is common in prairies, bluffs, gullied hillsides, and dry open places. Missouri milkvetch is found on a variety of sedimentary and alluvial soils, but most abundant and vigorous on limestones, shales and sandstones. Often found on gypsum. Distribution: Occurs throughout the Great Plains but absent in the southeast. Found in southern Manitoba, Alberta, south to eastern Minnesota, southwestern Oklahoma, west to Texas, Montana, eastern Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. This species can be found throughout North Dakota and in extreme west-central Minnesota. Forage Value: This species provides fair forage value to livestock in North Dakota. This species is catagorized as a decreaser to livestock grazing. Wildlife Value: The legumes and seeds of this plant provide some limited feed value to some songbirds, wild turkey, various mice, and kangaroo rats. The foliage will provide some feed value to antelope and deer. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Dwarf wild indigo Species: Amorpha nana Nutt. Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Erect or ascending shrub, branching above, sometimes rhizomatous, 3-6 dm tall; stems moderately covered with minute stiff, straight hairs, but becoming smooth. Leaves alternate, with odd-compound leaflets, 3-7 cm long; petioles 4-8 cm long; stipules having bristles, 3-5 mm long; leaflets usually 6-13 pairs plus 1, 6-13 mm long, 3-6 mm wide, crowded; blades narrowly to broadly oblong, or somewhat oval-shaped, rounded or triangular at base, apex broadly rounded or ending abruptly and usually emarginate with a sharp, abrupt tip to 1.5 mm long; marginally entire to inconspicuously toothed and somewhat rolled backward; hairy to smooth; punctate glands conspicuous. Racemes solitary at tips of season's growth, densely flowered, 3-9 cm long. Pedicels about 2-3 mm long; sepal tube top-shaped, about 2 mm long, smooth, with punctate glands, lobes triangular and much long than broad, 1-2 mm long, smooth; petal 1, 4.5-6 mm long, inverted heart-shaped, with a slender claw, enveloping stamens and pistil, dark purple; stamens 10, filaments united below; ovary smooth. Legume 4.5-5.5 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, smooth, conspicuously punctate-glandular in upper 2/3, terminated by persistent base of style, about 0.5 mm long; seed 2.5-3 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, olive-brown. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season forb begins growth in May and flowers by July, usually setting seed through August and September. Habitat: Dwarf wild indigo can be found growing on a wide range of soil moistures, most commonly found growing on dry prairies and rocky or sandy slopes and hillsides. Distribution: This species can be found throughout most of the Great Plains. It occurs throughout most of North Dakota but not nearly as common as its close relative lead plant. The plant is found in the prairie region of Minnesota. Forage Value: This plant provides good to excellent forage value to most classes of livestock. It is very nutritious and palatable, decreasing in abundance under continuous use. This species is considered a decreaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: This species provides good forage for most small and large mammals, utilized during all seasons. The foliage provides good grazing and the woody material is used extensively by browsers. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Standing milkvetch Species: Astragalus adsurgens Pall. var. robustior Hook.
Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Tufted or bunchforming perennial from woody taproot and branching woody base; stem 1-4 dm tall, herbage grayish with hairs sharp, stiff, ax-shaped, and appressed from swollen base. Leaves 4-15 cm long, alternate, odd-compound leaflets, lower petioled, upper stalkless; leaflets 9-25, narrowly oblong to oblong and egg-shaped, 1-2 cm long, 3-8 mm wide, stiff, appressed hairs; stipules 5-15 mm long, united 1/3 or more their length. Peduncles axillary, 4-14 cm long; racemes oblong, somewhat spikelike, 15-50 flowered. Pedicels about 1 mm long; flowers dark purple, dull blue, reddish-lilac, or whitish; sepals 5-9 mm long, teeth about 1/3 as long to as long as tube, with mixed black and white stiff hairs; banner 13-19 mm long, 4-8 mm wide; wings 10-17 mm long, keel 9-15 mm long, claws 5-8 mm long; stamens 10, often in two sets unequal in number. Legume nearly stalkless, 7-12 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, with white stiff, appressed hairs attached at base; seeds 2-2.5 mm long, smooth, brown. Origin: Native Growing Season: A forb beginning growth in May, flowers in June and July, and sets seed in August and September. Habitat: Standing milkvetch is most commonly found growing on clayey slopes. It can also be found on dry, rocky prairies and open wood hillsides of pastures, ravines, and roadsides. Distribution: This species can be found in the western two-thirds of the United States, except in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. This species is most commonly found in the western third of North Dakota. Forage Value: This plant is unpalatable to most classes of livestock but is grazed when other desirable forages are not available. This plant can be poisonous to cattle, sheep, and especially horses, commonly referred to as poison milk-vetch. This species would be considered an increaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: The foliage of this plant provides feed to some extent to small and large grazer and browser mammals. The legumes and seeds are used sparingly by upland gamebirds, small mammals, and songbirds. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: White prairie clover Species: Dalea candida Michx. Ex Willd.
Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Perennial herb growing from thick taproot system, 3-9 dm tall. Stems 1-several, 3-10 dm tall, erect or diffuse, simple or branching above, ribbed, minutely hairy to smooth. Leaves alternate, opposite compound leaflets, short petioled, 1.5-6 cm long; leaflets 3-5 pairs, 0.5-3.5 cm long, oval shaped or linear-oblong, sharply pointed, minutely hairy. Spikes lax or densely flowered, oval shaped to cylinder shaped, 1-5.5 cm long, axis smooth or minutely hairy. Sepal tube 1.9-2.7 mm long, smooth or with minute hairs, glandular, teeth 0.6-1.8 mm long; petals white; banner 4-5.7 mm long, claws 2-3.8 mm long; wing and keel 3.2-5.3 mm long, claws 1-2.3 mm long; stamens 5. Legume 2.6-4.5 mm long, usually projected, glandular; seed 1.5-2.5 mm long. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season forb beginning growth in May and flowering from July through August. Habitat: White prairie clover commonly grows on prairies, rocky sidehills, open woodlands, and roadsides. Distribution: This species occurs in the Great Plains region from southcentral Canada south to northern Texas, bordering the Rocky Mountains from the west and Mississippi River to the east. It can be found throughout North Dakota but is much less common than purple prairie clover. This plant is found throughout Minnesota, except for the northeastern one-third of the state. Forage Value: This species is palatable to most classes of livestock, utilized more by sheep than by cattle. White prairie clover provides good forage and nutrition throughout much of the spring and summer months. It is considered a decreaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: This species is palatable to many hoofed mammals, small mammals, and rodents, and is utilized to some extent. It is not considered an essential plant species for feed or habitat to any one wildlife species. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Purple prairie clover Species: Dalea purpurea Vent. var. purpurea
Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Perennial herb growing from tough root system, 3-9 dm tall. Stems 2-9 dm tall, erect, ascending long and straight, or bushy, either smooth or thinly hairy, to densely and soft, wooly hairs, ridges ribbed when dry. Leaves alternate, opposite compound leaflets, main stem leaves 1.5-4.5 cm long, with 5 linear, linear to much longer than broad leaflets 10-24 mm long, sharply pointed, usually rolled inward, smooth, sparingly hairy. Peduncles 0-9 cm long; spikes dense, conelike, egg-shaped to becoming oblong and cylinder shaped, the axis 1-7 cm long, densely hairy, 9.5-12 mm in diameter (less petals). Bracts subtending the sepals, 2.5-5.8 mm long, 1-2 mm wide erect to recurved tail, densely covered with minute hairs; sepal tube bell-shaped, densely covered with minute hairs with ascending hairs to 0.7 mm long, 2-2.9 mm long, teeth 1-2 mm long, shorter than tube; petals rose or dark purple, pinkish; banner 4.5-7 mm long, claw 2.5-4.5 mm long; wing and keel 3-5 mm long, claw 0.5-1.5 mm long; stamens 5. Pod obliquely oval-shaped, 2.1-2.5 mm long, valves smooth, colorless in lower 1/2; seed brown, smooth, 1.5-2 mm long. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season forb with initial growth in May and flowering from July through August, setting seed in September. Habitat: This species has adapted to a wide variety of soil types, but it is most common on dry, thin soils. It can be found growing on rocky prairie plains and hillsides, open woods, and roadsides. Distribution: Purple prairie clover occurs throughout the Great Plains region of North America, from southern Manitoba and Alberta, south to Illinois and Arkansas, and northern Texas. It can be found growing throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. The plant is not common in the forested regions of Minnesota. Forage Value: This species is palatable to most classes of livestock and is utilized more by sheep than cattle. Purple prairie clover provides good forage and nutrition throughout much of the spring and summer months. It is considered a decreaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: This species is palatable to many hoofed mammals, small mammals, and rodents, and is utilized to some extent. It is not considered an essential plant species for feed or habitat to any one wildlife species. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Names: American licorice, Wild licorice Species: Glycyrrhiza lepidota Pursh Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: A herbaceous perennial; stem 3-10 dm tall, erect, marked with ridges when dry, minutely hairy to smooth, having glands, arising from deep, extensive woody rhizomes. Leaves alternate with opposite compound leaflets; leaflets 7-21, oblong, broader than wide, 2-5 cm long, sharply or abruptly pointed, sprinkled with small scales when young and with corresponding dots later, glands sticky; petioles 0.5-5 cm long; stipules 3-7 mm long, slender, deciduous. The stalk of the flower cluster axillary, 1-7 cm long; racemes shaped like a spike, erect, flowers numerous. Sepal tube tubular and bell-shaped, 2-2.5 mm long, lobes 2.5-3 mm long, upper 2 teeth united 1/2 length or more, tube and teeth with stalked glands; petals yellowish-white or whitish; banner 10-14 mm long; wings and keel 8-12 mm long; stamens 10, in two sets. Fruits 1-2 cm long, densely beset with hooked prickles, late in dehiscing; seeds 3.2-4 mm long, olive colored or brown, smooth. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season forb that begins growth in May and flowers from July through August. Habitat: American licorice is most common on moist areas or areas that receive additional moisture. It grows along lakeshores, stream valleys, prairie ravines, woody draws, and roadsides. Distribution: This species is common in most of the United States, except for the southeastern corner and some central Atlantic Coast states. It can be found throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. This plant becomes less common in the forested regions of Minnesota. Forage Value: This species is palatable to all classes of livestock, providing fair forage value to cattle, horses, and goats, and is fair to good for sheep. American licorice's importance and amount of livestock use varies by regions of the United States. Although relished in the southern and central Great Plains states, it is utilized only sparingly in North Dakota, depending on availability of other forages. The burs of this plant present problems with wool and hair growers, who suffer heavy dockage when the burs lodge in the pelts. It is considered an increaser with grazing pressure in North Dakota but will decrease under long-term heavy use. Wildlife Value: This plant provides fair forage for many grazing and browsing wildlife species. There is no evidence in the literature that American licorice is a primary plant species for any one wildlife species as feed or habitat. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: White sweetclover Species: Melilotus alba Medic. Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: An annual or biennial herb; stems erect, branched, 0.5-2 m tall, smooth to sparsely hairy above. Leaflets egg-shaped to oblong, 1-2.5 cm long, smooth above, appressed and slightly hairy below, short toothed along sides; stipules 6-10 mm long. Racemes 4-15 cm long; calyx 1.5-2 mm long, tube gradually tapering to base, teeth tapering toward apex, 0.5-1 mm long; corolla 4-5 mm long, white. Fruit egg-shaped, 2.5-5 mm long, smooth, reticulate-veined, very short stipitate. Origin: Introduced from Eurasia. Growing Season: Cool season forb that begins vegetative growth in May. It usually flowers by late June or early July in its second year of growth, maturing by August. Habitat: This plant has been planted for hay, silage, standing forage, or green manure throughout the Great Plains region. It spreads naturally, invading cultivated fields, roadsides, waste areas, and pastureland when moisture is ample and native plants are low in vigor from stress. It grows well on a wide variety of soil types, from clays to gravels. Distribution: White sweetclover can be found throughout the United States but is most abundant in the Great Plains region. It occurs throughout North Dakota, most commonly found in the eastern half of the state. Yellow sweetclover is most commonly found in the central and western region of the state. This plant can be found throughout Minnesota. Forage Value: This species provides good to excellent grazable forage for all classes of livestock throughout the summer or until seeds mature and leaves fall off plant. Sweetclover, when utilized as a standing crop and a major forage base, may cause bloat in livestock. Sweetclover makes good hay, silage, green chop, and green manure. If molds occur, a toxic substance called dicoumarol is formed which may cause internal bleeding and death to livestock. This species is considered an invader with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: The foliage of this species is used by many grazer and browser wildlife species, including rabbits, antelope, white-tailed deer, and mule deer. The seeds are used by some songbirds, small rodents, and upland gamebirds. Partridge and sharp-tailed grouse may use the seeds to a great extent in late summer and fall. The plant also provides excellent habitat for ground nesting birds, small and large mammals. Deer and antelope are commonly found in old sweetclover stands during the fawning season and utilize stands for protection from predators and hunters. Many duck and upland game birds utilize sweet clover stands for nesting habitat and brood rearing habitat. Other: Sweetclover in pure stands can add nitrogen to the soil during its second year of growth, as much as 70 pounds per acre. This plant is commonly under-planted with annual crops to be utilized as green manure in the second year to add nitrogen to the soil. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ] EB-69, 1998
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