The difference between Chinese milk vetch and purple alfalfa

Different life spans

Alfalfa has a long lifespan, generally around 5-7 years, and can even reach 25 years. Astragalus membranaceus is a dicotyledonous plant that blooms from February to June and bears fruit from March to July.

Petals are different from leaves

The petals of sweet clover are umbrella-shaped, the number of leaves is mostly odd, and the corolla is purple-red or orange-yellow. The corolla of purple alfalfa is a purple butterfly-shaped corolla with serrated leaves at the top, and each inflorescence has more than 15 to 30 small flowers.

Different flower stems

The flower stem of Astragalus membranaceus is cylindrical and hollow, with fine hairs and a lot of juice inside. The flower stems of purple alfalfa are upright, round or angular, mostly growing from the roots, 1-1.5 meters high, with many branches on the stems.

Different growth habits

Milk vetch prefers warm and humid conditions, has strict requirements on water, but is not strict on soil, has poor salt tolerance and a high hybridization rate. Alfalfa prefers a semi-humid and semi-arid climate, can tolerate drought, has strong cold resistance, and can withstand severe cold of minus 30-40℃.

After reading this article, I believe that friends will have a certain understanding of these two plants. Although the names are very similar, they are indeed two completely different plants. I hope that everyone will not be confused when purchasing and choose the one they need.