Sainfoin


Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.
Sainfoin is a drought tolerant, relatively short-lived, deep-rooted, non-bloating perennial legume. It can be useful in grazing systems because it is non-bloating and maintains good forage quality for late-season grazing or stockpiling. It may have a place in site rehabilitation and reclamation situations as it will grow on high pH, alkaline, thin, or gravelly soils. It is resistant to several diseases that threaten alfalfa productivity.
It has deep taproots with many branches of lateral roots, and a stout branched crown. Sainfoin’s erect, hollow stems can reach up to 100 cm (39 in.) tall. Stems are very succulent and palatable in spite of their coarse appearance. There are 11 to 29 paired leaflets on each compound leaf.
Seed heads are wide at the base and narrow at the top, with up to 80 pink flowers attached to a common stalk. Cross pollination produces fibrous seed pods. Pods are kidney shaped and detach easily from the plant. Seed pods do not easily open to detach their greenish brown to dark brown seeds. Seed is often used with the pods.