Sweet trefoil, Blue Fenugreek
Trigonella caerulea

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It is a short clover like plant. It is slightly hairy. It grows 30-60 cm tall. The leaves have 3 leaflets. These are oval or oblong and have a notch at the tip. The flowers are blue or occasionally white. They are 5-6 mm long. They are in round heads on long stalks. The pods are rounded and 4-5 mm long. They are inflated and have a short beak.

Also as Papilionaceae.

Where it is found

It grows in temperate and Mediterranean places. It grows in waste places. It is cultivated in north China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Austria, Balkans, Bulgaria, Canada, Caucasus, China, Czech, Europe, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Mediterranean (country/location of origin), Mongolia, North America, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Türkiye, Yugoslavia

How it is used for food

The shoots and leaves are eaten. They are eaten with oil and salt. The dried flowers are used to give flavour to sapsago cheese. They are also used to flavour bread. It is used as a flavour in soups and potato dishes. It is also used to make a tea. It is used to flavour cheese.

It is widely used in Georgian recipes.

Edible parts

Leaves, flowers, leaves - tea, pods, seeds, spice

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Curd herb, Enosemenski triplat, Kraut curd-herb, Shambrika, Ulumbo, Utskho suneli

Synonyms

Melilotus caerulea Lam.; Melilotus coeruleus (L.) Desr.; Trifolium caeruleum L.; Trifolium melilotus-coerulea (L.) Asch. & Graebner;