Medicago sativa - Ashvabala

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Ashvabala,Alfalfa

Ashvabala, Alfalfa, Medicago sativa(bitanical name), Safed Musli or Rajko (Hindi), Kudirai masal or Kollu (Tamil) also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world.In ancient India, Ayurvedic texts prescribe the use of Alfalfa seeds and sprouts for improving blood cell production and it's leaves and stem as a good source of protein and minerals.Alfalfa is widely grown throughout the world as forage for cattle, and is most often harvested as hay, but can also be made into silage, grazed, or fed as greenchop.

Uses

relieve water retention, arthritis, ulcers, purifying the blood, food digestion, assimilation, kidney problems.

Parts Used

Root tubers.

Chemical Composition

Tender shoots of alfalfa are reported to contain per 100 g 52 calories, 82.7% moisture, 6 g protein, 0.4 g fat, 9.5 g total carbohydrate, 3.1 g fiber, 1.4 g ash, 12 mg Ca, 51 mg P, 5.4 mg Fe, 3410 IU Vit A, 0.13 mg thiamine, 0.14 mg riboflavin, 0.5 mg niacin, and 162 mg ascorbic acid

Common names

Language	Common name
Kannada	lusarne soppu, vilaayiti hullu
Hindi	lusan ghas
Malayalam
Tamil	kutirai macal
Telugu
Marathi	NA
Gujarathi	NA
Punjabi	NA
Kashmiri	NA
Sanskrit	ashvabala
English	Alfalfa, bastard medic

Habit

Herb

Identification

Leaf

Kind	Shape	Feature
simple	dentate	The leaflets are 5-20 mm long and dentate (toothed) at the apex and sometimes at the base

.

Flower

Type	Size	Color and composition	Stamen	More information
pale lavender	2-4cm long	violet	6-12 mm long	The flowers are papilionaceous, typical of species

Fruit

Type	Size	Mass	Appearance	Seeds	More information
loose spiral	A curved or loose spiral seed pod is present		seeds are yellow to brow.n in colour	10 to 20 seed	{{{6}}}

List of Ayurvedic medicine in which the herb is used

• Vishatinduka Taila as root juice extract

Mode of Propagation

Seeds, Tuber segment.

How to plant/cultivate

For cultivation of alfalfa, land should be well-plowed. Farm manure could be applied six weeks before planting, with additional manurings as top dressing after every third cutting. Crop is propagated by seed. As seeds have hard coat, they should be scarified or soaked in water before sowing.

Commonly seen growing in areas

western Himalayas, open woodland, moisty soil area.

Photo Gallery

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  Medicago sativa

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  M. sativa

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  M. sativa

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  Flowers

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  Yellow flowers

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  Light violet flowers

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  M. sativa var. sativa, mature fruits

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  Seeds (actual size ≈2mm)

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  Lucerne field

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  Bee on alfalfa flower