Plant Details

Medicago lupulina

Black Medick

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Common names

41 names · 32 languages
EnglishYour language
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Shamrock[1]
  • Yellow Trefoil[1]
Other languages (31)
Dutch
French
  • Luzerne lupuline[1]
Arabic
  • فصة سوداء[1]
Belarusian
  • Люцэрна хмелепадобная[1]
Catalan
  • Melgó menut[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 天蓝苜蓿[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 天藍苜蓿[1]
Czech
  • tolice dětelová[1]
Danish
  • Humle-sneglebælg[1]
Estonian
  • humallutsern[1]
Finnish
  • nurmimailanen[1]
German
  • Hopfenklee[1]
Hebrew
  • אספסת זעירה[1]
Hungarian
  • Komlós lucerna[1]
Irish
  • Dúmheidic[1]
Italian
  • Erba medica lupulina[1]
Japanese
  • コメツブウマゴヤシ[1]
Korean
  • 잔개자리[1]
Latvian
  • Apiņu lucerna[1]
Lithuanian
  • Apyninė liucerna[1]
Norwegian
  • sneglebelg[1]
  • snegleskolm[1]
Polish
  • Lucerna nerkowata[1]
Portuguese
  • luzerna-lupulina[1]
  • luzerna-preta[1]
Russian
  • Люцерна хмелевидная[1]
Slovak
  • lucerna ďatelinová[1]
Slovenian
  • Hmeljna meteljka[1]
Spanish
  • Alfalfa Lupulina[1]
  • carretilla[1]
  • Lupulina[1]
Swedish
  • humlelucern[1]
  • humlelusern[1]
Turkish
  • Bitçikotu[1]
Ukrainian
  • Люцерна хмелевидна[1]
Welsh
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Medicago lupulina — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Black Medick — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • humlelucern — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • carretilla — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Black Medic — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • nurmimailanen — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • luzerna-preta — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • luzerna-lupulina — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • luzerne lupuline — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Hopfenklee — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Lucerna nerkowata — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • tolice dětelová — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • אספסת זעירה — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • 天藍苜蓿 — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Humle-sneglebælg — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Люцерна хмелевидная — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Hopklaver — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • sneglebelg — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Komlós lucerna — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Erba medica lupulina — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Apyninė liucerna — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • コメツブウマゴヤシ — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Lupulina — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • فصة سوداء — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • lucerna ďatelinová — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • humlelusern — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • 天蓝苜蓿 — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • humallutsern — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • snegleskolm — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • 잔개자리 — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Yellow Trefoil — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Shamrock — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Люцерна хмелевидна — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Nonesuch — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Люцэрна хмелепадобная — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Hmeljna meteljka — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Apiņu lucerna — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Dúmheidic — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Alfalfa Lupulina — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Melgó menut — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Maglys du — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.
  • Bitçikotu — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 57056; Medicago lupulina.

General information

Scientific name: Medicago lupulina
Accepted name (Kew): Medicago lupulina L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Fabaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Medicago (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Black Medick
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Herbaceous
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.50 m
Spread: - m
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [3]
Foliage: Evergreen
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Prostrate, Spreading

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Annual, Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Occasionally Dry

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Seed
Edibility rating:
(2)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Nitrogen fixer, Bee forage

Description

Leaves: cooked. Cooked leaves have a similar texture to leafy greens when eaten. Seeds: cooked. The seeds are dried and can be eaten directly or ground into powder. It is believed that the seeds contain trypsin inhibitors.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/06
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 86485; name ID 2368626; Medicago L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 82655; name ID 2368448; Medicago lupulina L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Medicago lupulina

    Taxonomic data from WCVP-Fabaceae, version 2026, v.7, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. This shares the Kew WCVP evidence base cited on this page.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 611453, ID 3YNM2: Medicago lupulina L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Medicago lupulina — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: Growth rateFoliageGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .