Herb: Moon Trefoil


Latin name: Medicago arborea


Family: Leguminosae



Edible parts of Moon Trefoil:

Leaves - raw or cooked. This plant was supplied to Plants for a Future in early 1994 from a person in Greece who said that it was often used in salads there. Young shoots, when the plant is growing vigorously, have a slightly sweet, grass-like flavour but a rather chewy texture. Older leaves, and younger leaves if the plant is not growing vigorously, have a distinct bitterness and are rather unpleasant.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Shrub

Height:
2 m
(6 1/2 foot)

Flowering:
May to
October

Scent:
Scented
Shrub

Habitat of the herb:

Scrub and rocky hillsides.

Propagation of Moon Trefoil:

Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in a greenhouse. The seed can also be sown in a greenhouse in autumn. Germination should be quite rapid. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on for at least the first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Very easy if bottom heat is given.

Cultivation of the herb:

Scrub and rocky hillsides.

Medicinal use of Moon Trefoil:

None known

Known hazards of Medicago arborea:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.