White Sweetclover (Melilotus albus) is in the Legumes family (Fabaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,857 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in July.
Nationally it blooms mainly from June to August, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph White Sweetclover: observations by month (U.S.)
About White Sweetclover
Melilotus albus (Bokhara clover, honey clover, tree clover, sweet clover, white-flowered sweet clover, white sweet clover, white melilot), is a legume sometimes grown for forage. White sweet clover is a major source of nectar for an apiary. Its characteristic sweet odour, intensified by drying, is derived from coumarin.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
White Sweetclover by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 432 | August | Jun–Jan |
| New York | 341 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Vermont | 299 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Minnesota | 215 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Massachusetts | 171 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | 155 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 151 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Illinois | 127 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Michigan | 127 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Washington | 118 | July | Jun–Aug |
| New Jersey | 117 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Maryland | 116 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Ohio | 112 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Florida | 107 | March | Jan–May |
| Texas | 97 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Kentucky | 94 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Utah | 88 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Maine | 80 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Colorado | 79 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Virginia | 74 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Oregon | 67 | August | Jun–Sep |
| North Carolina | 64 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Mississippi | 50 | May | Apr–Jul |
| Indiana | 49 | June | Jun–Jul |
| New Mexico | 46 | June | Jun–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 40 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Missouri | 32 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Alabama | 31 | June | May–Jul |
| Georgia | 29 | June | Mar–Jul |
| Arizona | 28 | July | May–Sep |
| Connecticut | 28 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Idaho | 26 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Delaware | 25 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Iowa | 24 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Alaska | 23 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Arkansas | 22 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Nevada | 22 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Oklahoma | 20 | June | Jun–Jun |
| West Virginia | 20 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Tennessee | 17 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Montana | 14 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Nebraska | 14 | July | Jul–Aug |
| North Dakota | 14 | July | Jul–Jul |
| South Carolina | 12 | June | Apr–Jul |
| Kansas | 10 | June | Jun–Jun |
| South Dakota | 9 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Wyoming | 9 | August | Jul–Aug |
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 White Sweetclover?
Nationally, July has the most observations, with the main season from June to August.
Where is White Sweetclover most often seen?
The most observations come from California, New York, Vermont.