Low-growing annual or short-lived perennial in the alfalfa genus. Often turns up uninvited in lawns — usefully so, since it tolerates compacted soil and adds nitrogen.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 3–9 | −40 °C to −1.1 °C | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
| RHS hardiness rating | H7 | down to −20 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 3–9 | −34 °C and warmer | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 1–5 | −15 °C to 10 °C | Zones where it can be grown as an annual — not a frost-tolerance rating |
As a tender annual, Black medic doesn't overwinter — the zone range shows where the growing season supports it. See the RHS rating for its actual cold tolerance.
Growing notes
- One of the few nitrogen-fixers that thrives in heavily compacted urban soils
- Useful as a low-maintenance lawn component when mixed with grass and white clover
- Reseeds freely; can become weedy in neat formal lawns
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Black medic against your zones