The White Sweet Clover

White Sweet Clover (Melilotus albus) is one to 0.5 to 1.5 m high, annual or biennial plant of the Fabaceae family (Leguminosae).


The leaves are ternate. The white flowers grow in elongated racemes. The flowering period is from July to October. The bare pods occurring after fertilization are brownish.


These naturally occurring plant grows in Europe, many on fallow land and roadsides. The species does not grow on acid soil. The plant requires a sunny spot. In North America the plant is introduced and widely disseminated.


The plant contains coumarin, like the lemon honey clover (Melilotus officinalis). This material gives the smell of newly mown grass. Because of the fresh scent laid the people used dried clover honey between the clothes. When moldy hay can coumarin in cumarol toxic or even converted dicumarol, which are blood-thinning substances which, even fatal, bleeding may occur in animals that eat hay. This substance is in the correct dose to use in thrombosis.




Source: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witte_honingklaver


See also: International Flower Delivery, Florist