Alfalfa I. This legume is often referred to as the "queen" of hay crops. 2. Originated in southwest Asia, first cultivated in Iran where it was used to feed chariot horses. 3. Deep tap-rooted (up to 30 feet) forb grows 2 to 3 feet high and has 5 to 25 stems growing from a woody crown. 4. Flowers can be variegated; shades of purple are most common, but yellows and white flowers occur in some varieties. 5. Best adapted to deep, well-drained loams that have high fertility and low acidity. r- 6. Highly drought tolerant going donnant during periods of extreme drought. 7. Alfalfa will tolerate temperatures from -80 to + 130 of. 8. Begins growth in mid-march with peak growth occurring during the first week in June. 9. As with other legumes, growth rate is more dependent on soil moisture than temperature. 10. Grasses may be planted with alfalfa to produce more total yield and protein per acre, and to reduce the danger of bloat. 11. Alfalfa is subject to several insect and disease problems, causing a need for high level management. 12. Excellent legume for wildlife grazing; however, many nests are destroyed by the frequency and timing of haying. 48
Alsike clover 1 Grows to 3 feet in height; blooms are pink. 2. Better adapted than red clover to sour wet sites, and will tolerate flooding for long periods. 3. Growth persists throughout hot weather as long as moisture is adequate. 4. Compatible on low wet areas with such grasses as fescue, reed canary grass, switch grass and eastern gama grass. 5. Highly palatable and used to improve overall quality of predominantly grass forage in a field. 6. Does not usually add much quantity to hay but will improve the quality of grass hay. 7. Lacks persistence, usually lives for only 2 years; allowing the plant to reseed itself is important. 8. Thought to have originated in Sweden and has been cultivated in temperate Europe for centuries. 9. Does well on soil that is too acid for red clover. 10. Does not tolerate periods of drought and can be killed out by periods of prolonged drought. 11. Has a tendency to lodge; this can be reduced if grown with tall, upright growing grasses. 12. Susceptible to the same diseases as red clover, but is considered resistant to anthracnose. 13. Preferred forage legume by rabbits, geese, and other wildlife. 14. Provides excellent nesting cover when planted in mixtures with grasses. 49
Bird's-foot trefoil 1. Grows 6 to 24 inches tall, fine-stemmed leaves have five leaflets, three at the tip and two stipule-like near the base. 2. Flowers are bright yellow and have a reddish blush in early bloom; 3 to 6 flowers per cluster. 3. Seed pods are slender, attach at right angles to the stem and closely resemble a bird's foot. 4. Grows on poorly drained; droughty, infertile, and acid soils. 5. Does best on deep, fertile, moderately well-drained to well-drained soils. 6. Starts growth early April, peaks in late June, ends with frost in late September; good warm-season production. 7. Perhaps best suited to the northern part, but with proper management will do well throughout Missouri. 8. The varieties Dawn and Norcen were selected from Empire, are somewhat resistant to root rot, and may live longer. 9. Considered compatible with cool-season grasses and may also be the best available legume to use with warm-season grasses. 10. Does not store large carbohydrate reserves, so does not tolerate sudden, complete defoliation well, such as frequent haying, or continuous, close grazing. 11. Provides nutritious forage that is free from the bloat problems that are associated with most other legumes. 12. May provide necessary cover between bunches especially in wannseason plantings. 13. Plants should be given a 40 to 45 day growing season rest to make viable seed and maintain stands. 14. Good legume for wildlife and good seed producer; best when used in mixtures with grasses. 50
Crown vetch 1. Plant is rather coarse and has creeping sterns 2 00 6 feet long; leaves compound, with 15 00 20 pairs of oblong leaflets; flowers are pinkishlavender to white. 2. Prefers well-drained soils, tolerant to low ph and low fertility, responds to lime, phosphorus, and potassium. 3. Growth peaks during the last of May and early June. 4. Compatible with most grasses, but can become quite competitive if not grazed or mowed. 5. Palatability is high during early growth but becomes poor at maturity because of a bitterness from cyanogenic glyc~ide. 6. Nutritional value seems good byanalysis; may cause digestive problems in non-ruminant animals. 7. Hay yields are good; curing is difficult because of thick, heavy stems. 8. Used as ground cover on road sides and steep slopes; however, limited erosion does occur from beneath the plant. 9. Non-bloating perenniallegurne that is drought tolerant. 10. Slow gem1ination and seedling growth, and will not tolerate wet soils or shade. 11. Seed is difficult to harvest so the price of the seed is generally high. 12. Pure stands are generally too mated to provide the best wildlife habitat; however I plants add diversity to a mixture. 51
Annual lespedeza 1. Does a good job of supplying high quality forage during the warm season when cool-season grasses go donnant. 2. Used extensively in Missouri during the late 1940's and early 1950's; its use declined in the 1960's. 3. Several factors contributed to this decline-drought of 1953 and 1954, susceptibility to bacterial wilt and tar spot, the use of fertilizer, and fescue. 4. The annuallespedezas used in Missouri are common lespedeza (Kobe and Marion) and Korean lespedeza (Summit). 5. Compatible with most grasses and may be one of the best choices to use with the warm-season species. 6. Naturally competitive grasses and those made more competitive with fertilizer can replace lespedeza. 7. Palatability is good for all kinds and classes of livestock; is also a non-bloating legume. 8. Anti-lactation factor in seed can cause cows to go dry; not recommended for use by high producing lactating cattle once seed sets. 9. Hay yields, though not high (1.5 ton/acre), are good quality with no curing problems. 10. Seed produces high quality food for most wildlife; the forage is used as browse by deer, turkey, and rabbits. 11. When grazed, lespedeza tends to spread on the ground to escape close grazing and to allow for seed production. 12. Being an annual, year-to-year production is more dependent on current weather conditions. 13. Works well in a low input situation, providing high quality summer forage. 52
Red clover 1. Biennial, grows to 3 feet tall; inflorescence is egg shaped, rose-red. 2. Thick hairy stems and large velvety leaves have light-colored spots on the upper surface. 3. Likes a heavy, fertile well-drained soil, and will withstand some shading in seedling stage. 4. Used extensively with cool-season grass species to provide nitrogen and to increase forage value. 5. If seedlings are too dense, its competitive nature will shade out most grasses seeded with it. 6. Palatability is good; relished by allldnds and classes of livestock. 7. Yields are good (from 1 to 4 tons per acre per year); nutritional value is slightly lower than alfalfa. 8. Should have grass in the mixture when grazed to reduce the risk of livestock loss from bloat. 9. Heavy user of phosphorus and potash; prefers high lime but will grow on moderately acid soils that have ph of 5.5 or higher. 10. Can be drilled or broadcast into grass sod in January and February; freezing and thawing will cover the seed. 11. Plant's high magnesiwn content aids in the prevention of grass tetanus when included in a grass mixture. 12. Typical of annuals and biennials, red clover does not withstand drought well; yields are closely tied to weather. 13. Less persistent than most other legumes that are commonly used in Missouri. 53
Sweet clover 1. Covers two different species: Melilotus officinalis (yellow sweet clover) and Melilotus alba (white sweet clover). 2. The white is somewhat coarser, larger, and later maturing than the yellow; both are biennial. 3. Adapted to a wide range of conditions, but prefers a deep, welldrained, fertile soil. 4. During the first year of gtowth, plants are small and usually don It flower until the second year. 5. Because of numerous hard seed, sweet clover may become abundant several years after the last seed crop. 6. Usually used in short rotations on farmed land as green manure crop; also used for hay, silage, and grazing. 7. Grazed sweet clover possesses a potential bloat risk and should be provided to livestock in grass mixtures. 8. If molding occurs in hay or silage, a toxic substance, dicoumarol, forms causing internal bleeding and death. 9. Pure stands of sweet clover can add up to 70 pounds of nitrogen per acre in its second year of growth. 10. Considering the demand for calcium (limestone), phosphate, and po~h in legumes, using legumes as soil builders is questionable when production is removed from the field as hay or silage. 54
White clover (ladino ) 1. Ladino is an improved variety of white clover introduced from Italy. 2. Provides palatable grazing and is relished by all kinds and classes of livestock, including hogs and poultry. 3. Best adapted to clay and silt soils where rainfall exceeds 35 inches annually. 4. Usually planted in a mixture with grass to enhance the overall value of the pasture.. 5. Needs a ph of 6.0 or better and a high phosphate level to reach potential production. 6. Growth starts in mid-april, peaks in mid-june, and stops in late October. 7. Likes plenty of growing season moisture; rainfall in the summer will lengthen the peak growing period. 8. Compatible with all cool-season grasses except pure stand of reeds canary grass; also used with red and alsike clover. 9. Forage quality is better when growing than alfalfa or red clover; has up to 27 percent protein and a low 14 percent fiber. 10. Can cause bloat if not used in a mixture with grass; grass also aids in curing when cut for hay. 11. Ladino spreads from creeping fleshy stems that root at the joints. 55