White sweet-clover
Melilotus albus
Last reviewed: October 2026
Toxicity unknown
White sweet-clover (Melilotus albus) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
36"–96" H × 18"–36" W
Bloom
Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Pollinators
honey bees, bumble bees, native bees, hover flies
Native alternatives to White sweet-clover
White sweet-clover is not native to the United States. These natives fill a similar role in a planting, matched on bloom season, bloom color and mature size.
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White sweetclover is a tall biennial legume with trifoliate leaves and long spikes of small white, sweet-scented flowers. It grows a deep taproot, fixes nitrogen, and self-seeds freely on disturbed or roadside ground. It is a non-native species widely naturalized across the United States.
How to care for White sweet-clover, by region
How to care for White sweet-clover where it is actually grown: year-round basics plus what to do each season, region by region, with the sources for each.
Care guidance last updated: October 2026
Central California Valley (includes Sacramento, CA)
Year-round
White sweetclover is a biennial legume from Eurasia, so it is an introduced plant here. It makes leafy growth the first year and flowers tall in the second year, then sets large amounts of long-lived seed.
- It grows in full sun to part shade and tolerates dry, poor soil.
- Second-year plants flower and can grow several feet tall.
- Prevent seed set if you do not want it to spread. Seed can stay viable for years.
- It is a nectar source for bees while it blooms.
Cutting stems before flowers set seed keeps it tidy and stops spread.
Fall
Fall is when any missed seed drops and new seedlings get ready for next year.
- Remove any plants that already set seed and dispose of the seed heads.
- Hold off on fertilizer. It is a nitrogen-fixing legume and does not need it.
- Mark where plants grew so you can watch for seedlings.
Clearing seed heads in fall prevents a messy self-seeded patch.
Winter
Winter is quiet. First-year plants stay as low rosettes and second-year plants die back after seed.
- No watering is needed.
- Remove dead second-year stalks once they are dry.
- Watch for rosettes that will flower next year.
Clearing dead stalks keeps the area neat through winter.
Spring
Spring is when first-year plants leaf out and second-year plants start tall growth.
- Water lightly. Established plants need little extra.
- Pull seedlings you do not want while the taproot is small.
- Expect second-year plants to bolt toward summer bloom.
Pulling seedlings early keeps beds looking intentional.
Summer
Summer is bloom time for second-year plants and the key window to stop seed.
- Skip routine watering once established. It tolerates drought.
- Cut flowering stems near the ground after bloom but before seed forms to stop spread.
- Bag or remove cut stems rather than leaving them to ripen seed.
Cutting spent stalks before seed keeps the plant from looking weedy.
In an HOA neighborhood
White sweet-clover takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
- Tall, self-seeding and can look weedy in managed front yards
Wildlife value
A long-blooming nectar source for honey bees, bumble bees and other bees, and often used as a cover crop. It can spread into natural areas and crowd out native plants.
Common questions
- How much sun does White sweet-clover need?
- White sweet-clover grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does White sweet-clover bloom?
- White sweet-clover blooms in June, July, August, and September.
- What pollinators does White sweet-clover attract?
- White sweet-clover draws honey bees, bumble bees, native bees, and hover flies.
- Is White sweet-clover HOA-friendly?
- White sweet-clover takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow White sweet-clover? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.