Morphological characteristics of the four main perennial forage legumes in Virginia. Short legumes such as white clover, where leaves grow from stolons at the soil surface, are used primarily for grazing. Tall erect legumes such as alfalfa and red clover may be used for hay, silage, and rotational grazing with special management. Alfalfa, with deep tap roots, produces higher yields than the other legumes. The "growth points" in its crowns, covered with soil to protect them from drought and cold, make alfalfa persistent.
Return to the Perennial Forage Species for Grazing section of Controlled Grazing of Virginia's Pastures.