Publication Number 460-122, posted January 1997
Legumes available for use in eastern U.S. mine reclamation.
| Common Name (Scientific Name) | Principal Cultivars | Cold Toler- ance | Acid Toler- ance | Salt Toler- ance | High Water Toler. | Precip. Range (in.) | Lower pH Limit | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) | Pioneer 524, Hi-Phy, Classic*, DeKalb 120*, Saranac AR*, Arc Vernal | Good | Poor | Fair | Fair | 15-20 | 6.0 | Minesoil pH must be maintained above 6. P needed in high quantities. Good drainage required. Good drainage required. |
| Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) | Dixie, Auburn | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | 14-50 | 5.0 | Winter annual legume. Reseeds itself. Tolerates pH to 4.0. |
| Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) | Arlington*, Mammoth, Midland, Lakeland, Kenland*, Pennscott, Norlac, Kenstar* | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | 20-50 | 5.0 | Used for erosion control. Short- lived perennial, but reseeds itself. Requires high P levels. Found on minesoils at pH 4.5. |
| White (Ladino) Clover (Trifolium repens) | Ladino*, Merit, Pilgrim | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | 18-45 | 5.5 | Sod-former. Used in pasture mixtures for erosion control, soil improvement, and wildlife. P and Ca levels critical. |
| Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum) | Aurora | Poor | Good | Good | Good | 5.0 | More tolerant of moist, acid soils than other clovers. | |
| Crownvetch (Coronilla varia) | Penngift*, Chemung*, Emerald | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | 18-45 | 5.0 | Generally slow to establish. Commonly seeded with ryegrass or rapid establishing species. Found on mines with pH 4.5. |
| Flatpea (Lathyrus sylvestris) | Lathco | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | 20-50 | 4.5 | Slow establishment, but has hardy rhizomes. Drought & acid resistant. |
| Common Lespedeza (Lespedeza striata) | Kobe*, Tenn. 76 | Fair | Good | Poor | Fair | 25-45 | 4.5 | Forage legume under trees. Establishes quickly and reseeds itself. Tolerates acid soils. |
| Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) | Interstate, Serala, Caricea, Appalow**, Aulotan** | Fair | Good | Fair | Fair | 25-50 | 4.5 | Tolerates low fertility. Long term erosion protection. Traditional cultivars tend to choke out other vegetation, become woody after first year. |
| White Sweetclover (Melilotus alba) | Spanish Evergreen, Cumino, Hubam, Polara | Good | Poor | Fair | Fair | 14-40 | 5.5 | Grows in early spring. Has a large taproot. |
| Yellow Sweetclover (Melilotus. officinalis) | Madrid, Goldtop, Yukon | Good | Poor | Fair | Fair | 14-45 | 5.5 | More drought tolerant and competitive than white. |
| Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) | Fergus*, Empire* Cascade,Granger, Tana, Viking*, Douglas, Mansfield, Dawn, Norcen* | Fair | Good | Good | Fair | 18-45 | 4.5 | Grows well in mixtures. Nonbloating and rhizomatous. Found on minesoils with pH 3.5 |
| Vetch, hairy (Vicia villosa) | Good | Good | Good | Fair | 20-50 | 5.5 | Fall plant for good winter cover. Can be pastured. Important to inoculate. |
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Return to the Legume Species Used in Reclamation section of Revegetation Species and Practices.
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