Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a cool season perennial legume living from three to twelve years, depending on variety and climate.  Alfalfa seed is most commonly planted for hay production, wildlife food plots and grazing.  Alfalfa is the most popular legume in the world for hay and forage production for cattle and horses. Alfalfa resembles clover with clusters of small purple flowers containing high protein, vitamin and mineral rich leaves and stems.  Alfalfa is very appealing to all forms of wildlife and remains as one of the best. The Fall dormancy is 9. Product Information Application or Use: Ground Cover, Cover Crop, Cattle Forage, Livestock Grazing, Food Plot, Hay Production  Germination Time: 7 - 14 days, under optimal conditions Growing Locations: Warm Season, Transition Zone, Cool Season Height: 1 - 3 feet  Sunlight Requirements: 6 - 8 hours, full sun for best results Advantages: Controls harmful nematodes; nitrogen fixation; builds organic matter. When to Plant: Recommended planting time is fall and spring when nighttime temperatures are consistently below 65 degrees.   Product Details Highest feeding value of all common hay crops Nitrogen-fixing abilities  Highest yielding forage plant Wide range of adaptation  High protein content   Product Information Alfalfa Food Plot Seed grows to a height of up to 3 ft, and has a deep root system sometimes stretching to 15 ft. This makes it very resilient, especially to droughts. It has a tetraploid genome. The plant exhibits auto-toxicity, which means that it is difficult for alfalfa seed to grow in existing stands of alfalfa. Therefore, it is recommended that alfalfa fields be rotated with other species (for example, corn or wheat) before reseeding. Like other legumes its root nodules contain bacteria, Sinorhizobium meliloti, with the ability to fix nitrogen, producing a high-protein feed regardless of available nitrogen in the soil. Its nitrogen-fixing abilities (which increases soil nitrogen) and its use as an animal feed greatly improved agricultural efficiency. (The nitrogen comes from the air, which is 78 percent molecular nitrogen.)Alfalfa is widely grown throughout the world as forage for cattle, and is most often harvested as hay, but can also be made into silage, grazed, or fed as greenchop. Alfalfa has the highest feeding value of all common hay crops, being used less frequently as pasture. When grown on soils where it is well-adapted, alfalfa is the highest yielding forage plant. *Product packaging may appear different than what is pictured.