Where Can I Find Sainfoin?

Sainfoin is a perennial forage legume native to Eastern Europe that was introduced to Montana and North Dakota in the 1950s. It can grow up to 3 feet tall with pink flowers and many leaflets. While the stems appear big and coarse, they are actually very soft and palatable.

Where can sainfoin be grown?

Habitat: Sainfoin can be found in western rangeland sites in 14 inch and greater precipitation areas. It is often associated with big sagebrush and mountain shrub communities in well-drained calcareous soils. Adaptation: Early varieties from Western Europe did not perform well in the western United States.

How do you grow sainfoin?

Always sow sainfoin into warm soils in the spring. Sainfoin seed can be undersown to spring cereals or direct drilled in April or May at around 30mm. If undersown, the cereal sowing rate should be reduced to 50/40 kg/acre. Unlike lucerne ( alfalfa ) sainfoin does not usually require a seed inoculant to fix nitrogen.