Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Melilotus altissimus

Family

Fabaceae

Flowering season

June to October

English distribution

It is found throughout the country except for parts of the

North, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and the Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Tall Melilot

Habitat

It is an archaeophyte (possibly native), which has been

known in the UK since the 1500s.

It grows in rough grassland, on waste ground and by

roads, tracks, fields, estuaries and shingle beaches.

Description

Tall Melilot is an erect, biennial or perennial, nitrogen-

fixing herb, growing up to 1.5m. 

Flower spikes are slender.

Flowers are bright yellow, up to 7mm, with the standard,

wing and keel petals equal.

There are 10 stamens and a persistent, long style.

Pods are reticulate, up to 7mm and black when ripe.

Leaves have 3 leaflets, which are weekly serrated, oval to

oblong and up to 3cm.

Stems are green, ridged and branched.

Tall Melilot can form extensive drifts in open ground when

there is little competition.