Alfalfa
Upright perennial that grows 15-38 inches tall and has a deep taproot. Typically has three leaflets per leaf; leaflet margins are serrated on the tips. Flowers are usually purple but may be blue, yellow/cream, or variegated.
Clovers
Berseem clover
Upright summer annual that grows 16-20 inches tall. Has narrow leaflets, hollow stems, cream-colored flowers, and a short taproot.
Additional Resources
Berseem clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)
Crimson clover
Upright to semi-upright winter annual that grows 12-20 inches tall. Has light green leaves covered with soft hairs, crimson (dark red) flowers, and a taproot.
Additional Resources
Crimson clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)
Kura clover
More information coming soon!
Red clover
Upright short-lived perennial that grows 12-36 inches tall. Has hairy leaves and stems with three leaflets per leaf. Has pink or lavender flowers, and a taproot. There are medium (double-cut) and mammoth (single-cut) types. Medium types flower the year they are seeded and regrow vigorously after cutting. Mammoth types grow slower, maturing about 2 weeks later than medium types. Mammoth types require vernalization to flower and tolerate drought better than medium types.
Additional Resources
Red clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)
Subterranean clover
More information coming soon!
Additional Resources
Subterranean clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)
White clover
More information coming soon!
Additional Resources
White clover: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)
Cowpea
Black-eyed Pea, Southern Pea, Crowder Pea
This legume has a long taproot and its growth is similar to soybean. Cowpea also has been used successfully as groundcover in orchards and intercropped with cash crops such as cotton. A bushel of grain is about 60 pounds.
Cowpeas: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)
Peas
Austrian winter pea
Climbing cool-season annual that spreads 2-4 feet. Has pale green leaves made of multiple leaflets. Has hollow stems; tendrils; and pink, purple, or red flowers.
Sweetclovers
Upright annual or biennial that grows 1.5 – 7 feet tall. Has serrated leaflet edges with three leaflets per leaf. Has white or yellow flowers and as extensive taproot. The white-flowered sweetclover (M. alba) is talker, coarser-stemmed, and has coarser leaves than the yellow-flowered type (M. officinalis). Yellow sweetclover is more drought tolerant, more vigorous as a seedling, flowers earlier, and has spreading growth.
Sweetclovers: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)
Vetches
Chickling vetch
SEE ALL CHICKLING VETCH ARTICLES
Hairy vetch
Climbing winter annual that grows 3-7 feet tall. Has tendrils, purple flowers, taproot, many leaflets per leaf.
Hairy vetch: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)
Woolypod vetch
Woolypod vetch: Managing Cover Crops Profitably (SARE Handbook Series Book 9) by Andy Clark (2007, 3rd ed.)