Black Medick (Medicago lupulina) is in the Legumes family (Fabaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,311 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to July, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Black Medick: observations by month (U.S.)
About Black Medick
Medicago lupulina, commonly known as black medick, nonesuch, or hop clover, is a plant of dry grassland belonging to the legume or clover family. Plants of the genus Medicago, or bur clovers, are closely related to the true clovers (Trifolium) and sweet clover (Melilotus). Like the true clovers, black medick has three leaflets and a small, yellow flower closely resembling those of lesser trefoil. Black medick belongs to the same genus as alfalfa.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Black Medick by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 432 | June | May–Jun |
| Texas | 330 | April | Feb–May |
| Pennsylvania | 206 | May | May–Jul |
| Ohio | 200 | June | May–Jun |
| New Jersey | 180 | May | May–Jun |
| Vermont | 175 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Florida | 163 | March | Jan–Apr |
| Maryland | 114 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Kentucky | 104 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Illinois | 103 | May | May–Jul |
| Minnesota | 102 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Michigan | 89 | June | May–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 87 | June | May–Jul |
| Massachusetts | 75 | June | May–Jul |
| Virginia | 73 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Utah | 59 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Washington | 59 | June | May–Aug |
| Oregon | 54 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Indiana | 49 | May | May–Jul |
| Alabama | 47 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Mississippi | 47 | April | Feb–Apr |
| California | 45 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Colorado | 45 | May | May–Aug |
| Tennessee | 35 | June | Mar–Jun |
| Missouri | 33 | May | Apr–Jun |
| West Virginia | 29 | June | May–Jun |
| North Carolina | 28 | June | Jun–Jul |
| South Carolina | 27 | March | Jan–Jun |
| Montana | 24 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Louisiana | 23 | February | Jan–Feb |
| Connecticut | 22 | May | May–Jun |
| Idaho | 22 | June | May–Jul |
| Nebraska | 21 | May | May–Jul |
| Arizona | 20 | May | May–Jun |
| District of Columbia | 20 | April | Apr–May |
| Maine | 20 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Georgia | 19 | March | Feb–Apr |
| Oklahoma | 19 | April | Mar–Jun |
| New Mexico | 17 | May | Mar–Jun |
| North Dakota | 14 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Iowa | 12 | June | May–Jun |
| Kansas | 12 | April | Apr–Jul |
| Nevada | 11 | May | Feb–Jun |
| New Hampshire | 11 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Wyoming | 11 | June | Jun–Aug |
| South Dakota | 9 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Delaware | 6 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Arkansas | 5 | April | Apr–May |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Legumes)
White Clover
Red Clover
Texas bluebonnet
Bird's-Foot Trefoil
Rose Clover
Tomcat Clover
American hog-peanut
Purple Crownvetch
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Black Medick?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from April to July.
Where is Black Medick most often seen?
The most observations come from New York, Texas, Pennsylvania.