Quercus

Yellow Sweetclover

Melilotus officinalis

Not native to Kentucky

Do not plant. Listed invasive in Kentucky.

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Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

27CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Melilotus

  • Agrotis venerabilisVenerable Dart, Dusky Cut-Worm
  • Anticarsia gemmatalisVelvetbean Caterpillar Moth
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Colias eurythemeOrange Sulphur, Alfalfa Butterfly
  • Colias philodiceClouded Sulphur, Clover Butterfly
  • Cupido comyntasEastern Tailed-Blue
  • Dasylophia anguinaBlack-Spotted Prominent
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Show all 27
  • Glaucopsyche lygdamusSilvery Blue
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
  • Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
  • Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
  • Scopula inductataSoft-Lined Wave
  • Sparganothis unifascianaOne-Lined Sparganothis
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
  • Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Walshia miscecolorellaSweetclover Root Borer Moth
  • Micrurapteryx occulta
  • Xenotemna pallorana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
1Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Melilotus

  • Megachile melanophaea
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
7BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Melilotus

  • Anser albifronsGreater White-fronted Goose
  • Antigone canadensisSandhill Crane
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Centrocercus urophasianusGreater Sage-Grouse
  • Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
  • Perdix perdixGray Partridge
  • Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Fabaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4b–9b
Soil pH
Neutral to alkaline
Flower color
Yellow
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Single crown
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Summer

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Yellow Melilot; Yellow Sweet Clover

Conservation status

Kentucky rankSNA
Global rankGNR
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources