Melilotus albus
White Melilot
an annual or biennial member of the Melilotus genus in the family Leguminosae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Leguminosae
- Genus
- Melilotus
- Life cycle
- annual, biennial
- Growth rate
- vigorous
- Height
- 1.2 m
- Fertility
- Bees
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Bees
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Dried leaves can be toxic though the fresh leaves are quite safe[15]. This is due to the presence of coumarin, the substance that gives some dried plants the smell of new mown hay. Taken internally it can prevent the blood from clotting[9].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Leaves and seedpods - cooked as a 'bean soup'[16][1][4]. The pea-like seeds are used as a seasoning for bean and split-pea soups[6]. Young shoots - raw or cooked[16][4]. Added to salads or used as a potherb[6]. Only fresh shoots should be used[14], the dried leaves contain coumarin[9]. Flowers - raw or cooked[4]. Used as a vanilla-like flavouring[5][6]. The dried leaves are said to be used as a vanilla flavouring[4] but this is probably unwise, see notes at top of the page.
- Product or use
- Condiment
- Plant part
- Flowers
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Seed
- Plant part
- Seedpod
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The whole herb, harvested when in flower, is aromatic, carminative and emollient[12]. It was at one time widely esteemed as a medicinal herb, though it has fallen from favour in recent times[12]. The dried leaves contain coumarin, this can be used as an anticlotting agent for the blood[9]. The dried flowering plant has been used in ointments for external ulcers[10].
- Product or use
- Anticoagulant
- Product or use
- Aromatic
- Product or use
- Carminative
- Product or use
- Emollient
- Product or use
- Poultice
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
An oil obtained from the seed is used in paints, varnishes etc[2]. The dried leaves smell of new-mown hay and are used as an insect repellent[4]. The dried leaves contain a substance called coumarin, this is an anti-clotting agent and has been used as a basis of the rat killer 'warfarin'[9]. The plant is a good green manure crop[7][18][4]. It can be sown in the autumn and overwintered or sown from spring to mid summer. It can be cut several times for compost material before being finally incorporated into the soil[18]. Fast growing, it produces a high bulk of organic material and also fixes a large quantity of atmospheric nitrogen[18]. It can also be grown under soft and top fruit, when it will expel mice[17].
- Product or use
- Oil
- Product or use
- Repellent
Environment
- Range
- Europe to W. Asia. Naturalized in Britain.
- Habitat
- Fields and waste places on dry, not acid soils[3].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow spring to mid-summer in situ[18]. Pre-soaking the seed for 12 hours in warm water will speed up the germination process, particularly in dry weather[K]. Germination will usually take place within 2 weeks.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A fast growing plant[18], it dislikes shade. A good bee plant[12][13]. The dried plant has a sweet smell of newly mown hay[11]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[8].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Chakravarty. H. L. The Plant Wealth of Iraq.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00
Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009
Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984-00-00 ISBN 0112425291
Ceres. Free for All. Thorsons Publishers 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-7225-0445-4
Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Woodward. L. Burge. P. Green Manures. Elm Farm Research Centre. 1982-00-00