Indian Sweetclover

Melilotus indicus

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in roadsides, disturbed areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Louisiana. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: About 2.5 feet
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Dry to wet

See native alternatives

Melilotus indicus — flower photograph — (c) Angelina Marín Rojas, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

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Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow, orange or red.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

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At a glance

Bloom: April to October
Fruiting season: Spring

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Life cycle · Leaves

Recorded in 53 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

24CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · Melilotus

Agrotis venerabilisVenerable Dart, Dusky Cut-Worm
Anticarsia gemmatalisVelvetbean Caterpillar Moth
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Colias eurythemeOrange Sulphur, Alfalfa Butterfly
Colias philodiceClouded Sulphur, Clover Butterfly
Cupido comyntasEastern Tailed-Blue
Dasylophia anguinaBlack-Spotted Prominent
Echinargus isolaReakirt's Blue, Isola Blue
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth

Show all 24

Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
Scopula inductataSoft-Lined Wave
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Walshia miscecolorellaSweetclover Root Borer Moth
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)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Fabaceae
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Single crown
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Spring
Fruit ends: Spring

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Single crown” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 2.5 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Light · “Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
primary_flower_color · “yellow” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Also known as

Alfalfilla; Annual Melilot; Annual Yellow Sweet Clover; Annual Yellow Sweetclover; Indian Melilot; Indian Sweet Clover; Melilotus indica; Small Melilot; Sour Clover; Sourclover; Trebol

Conservation status

Louisiana rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
LA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source