Sainfoin
Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is a perennial forage legume with pink flower spikes rich in nectar and pollen for bees.
Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is a deep-rooted perennial legume grown for hay and grazing. Its showy pink, white or purple flowers sit in dense racemes of 20 to 50 blooms. The leaves are odd-pinnate with 11 to 21 leaflets, and the seed unit is a single-seeded pod. The plant typically stands 8 to 36 inches (about 20 to 90 cm) tall, taller than alfalfa.
The plant comes from Turkey, Iran and Europe, was first cultivated in northern France and Britain, and now grows across warm-temperate Europe as far as Sweden. It reached North America around 1900. Its large, deep taproot makes it fairly drought tolerant, and it matures earlier in spring than alfalfa and stays green in summer. Unlike alfalfa it does not cause bloat in cattle.
For bees it is one of the richest forage crops. US Department of Agriculture plant guides describe copious nectar and abundant pollen, very attractive to honey bees from May to July, and report sainfoin honey as of the finest quality. In Europe, Spain leads in sainfoin honey.
Sainfoin wants deep, lime-rich soil, at least 18 inches (about 45 cm) deep, with a pH of 6.6–8.0, and about 14 inches (about 360 mm) of annual precipitation or more; it fails on wet ground and tolerates little salt. Farmers usually cut it once a season, at half to full bloom.
Why this matters to you: once the stand is mown the flow stops at a stroke, so a beekeeper near sainfoin fields gains a lot from knowing the mowing date.
Facts
| Botanical origin | Onobrychis viciifolia Scop., legume family (Fabaceae) |
|---|---|
| Season | May–July (honey bee visits, US data) |
| Region | From Turkey, Iran and Europe; warm-temperate Europe to Sweden, western North America |
| Colour | Pink, white or purple |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Sainfoin → kind of → Honey plants → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Honey plants
- Which honey it gives
- Sainfoin honey
Frequently asked questions
When does sainfoin feed bees?
From May to July in US data; it gives copious nectar and abundant pollen.
Is sainfoin honey good?
US plant guides report it as of the finest quality.
Is it true that sainfoin is just another name for alfalfa?
No. Sainfoin is Onobrychis and alfalfa is Medicago; sainfoin grows taller and, unlike alfalfa, does not cause bloat in cattle.
What soil does sainfoin need?
Deep, lime-rich soil with a pH of 6.6–8.0; it does poorly on wet ground.
Where is sainfoin grown?
In warm-temperate Europe as far as Sweden, in Asia, around the Mediterranean and in western North America.
Similar
Black locust · Rapeseed · Sweet chestnut · Heather (ling) · Lavender · Rosemary
Sources
- USDA NRCS Plant Guide: Sainfoin, Onobrychis viciifolia
- Heuzé V., Tran G., Lebas F. (2020) Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia). Feedipedia, a programme by INRAE, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO
- Persano Oddo L. et al. (2004) Botanical species giving unifloral honey in Europe. Apidologie 35, S82-S93