Description

Medicago sativa, known commonly as alfalfa, is a deep-rooted perennial herb believed to have originated in central Asia and the Iranian Plateau, from where it spread across Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Indian subcontinent through ancient trade routes. Cultivated primarily as a forage crop, it thrives in well-drained calcareous soils under full sun. In traditional herbal practice, alfalfa leaf and sprout have been commonly incorporated into nutritive formulations. Documented in classical Persian materia medica and later referenced in colonial-era Indian botanical surveys, it is widely recognized in contemporary herbal commerce for its dense phytonutrient profile. It remains an important crop in Punjab and Haryana.