Yellow Sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis) is in the Legumes family (Fabaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,533 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from May to July, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Yellow Sweetclover: observations by month (U.S.)
About Yellow Sweetclover
Melilotus officinalis, known as yellow sweet clover, yellow melilot, ribbed melilot and common melilot is a species of legume native to Eurasia and introduced in North America, Africa and Australia.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Yellow Sweetclover by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | 210 | June | May–Oct |
| Ohio | 200 | June | May–Jun |
| New York | 178 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Minnesota | 172 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | 170 | June | May–Jul |
| Colorado | 161 | June | May–Aug |
| Illinois | 135 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Kentucky | 118 | May | May–Jun |
| New Jersey | 117 | June | May–Jul |
| Maryland | 90 | June | May–Jun |
| Virginia | 79 | June | May–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 70 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Michigan | 66 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Indiana | 56 | June | May–Jun |
| Texas | 54 | May | May–Jun |
| Vermont | 54 | June | Jun–Jul |
| North Dakota | 49 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Wyoming | 45 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Montana | 43 | June | Jun–Sep |
| New Mexico | 43 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Idaho | 39 | June | May–Jul |
| Arizona | 38 | June | Apr–Jun |
| Kansas | 33 | May | May–Jun |
| West Virginia | 32 | June | May–Jul |
| Massachusetts | 31 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Missouri | 27 | May | May–Jun |
| South Dakota | 26 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Oklahoma | 25 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Nevada | 24 | June | May–Sep |
| Iowa | 23 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Washington | 18 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Nebraska | 17 | June | May–Jun |
| North Carolina | 17 | June | May–Jun |
| Oregon | 17 | June | Jun–Jun |
| District of Columbia | 15 | May | May–Jun |
| Arkansas | 12 | May | May–Jun |
| Connecticut | 8 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Delaware | 7 | May | May–Jul |
| Tennessee | 6 | May | May–Jun |
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 Yellow Sweetclover?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from May to July.
Where is Yellow Sweetclover most often seen?
The most observations come from Utah, Ohio, New York.