Medics are a winter annual or summer annual legume. They are generally adapted to dry conditions and prefer soils with a pH above 6.

 

Perennial medics are self-reseeding with abundant “hard seed” that can take several years to germinate. Subsequently, making them ideal for long rotations of forages and cash crops and in cover crop mixtures in the drier areas.

 

Medics consist of several species which vary widely in plant habit, maturity date and cold tolerance. Most upright varieties have a single stalk and short taproot. Medics germinate and grow quickly when soil moisture is adequate, forming a thick ground cover that holds soil in place. The more prostrate species of annual medic provide better ground cover.