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TABLE 1. Selected characteristics of important cover crops for California*

Common name

Scientific name

Growth habit

Maximum height inches

Flowering period

Maturity period

Tolerates close mowing in winter

Reliably self-reseeding

Seeding rate lbs/ac

Comments

WINTER ANNUALS

Legumes

Bur medic (burclover)

Medicago polymorpha

Prostrate to erect

6-15

Feb-Apr

Apr-May

Yes

Yes

15-20

Neutral to alkaline

Field pea

Pisum sativum

Viny

18-30

Mar-May

May-Jun

No

No

70-120

'Magnus' and 'Miranda' are especially vigorous

Clovers

Trifolium spp.

Berseem

T. alexandrium

Erect

18-30

May-Jun

Jun-Jul

Yes

No

15-20

Needs multiple cuttings for best results

Crimson

T. incarnatum

Erect

12-20

Apr-May

May-Jun

Yes

Yes

20-25

Fast winter growth

Rose

T. hirtum

Semierect

8-15

Mar-Apr

May-Jun

Yes

Usually

15-20

'Hykon' is an early and well-adapted variety

Subterranean

T. subterraneum

Prostrate to semierect

6-15

Mar-May

Apr-Jun

Yes

Yes

20-25

Many varieties bury seedhead; most prefer tolerate alkalinity.

Vetches Vicia spp.

Bell (fava) bean

V. faba

Erect

36-84

Mar-May

May-Jun

No

No

120-150

Host for bean aphid

Common

V. sativa

Viny

18-24

Apr-May

May-Jun

High

Yes

40-80

Winter hardy; has extrafloral nectaries

Hairy

V. villosa

Viny

18-24

Apr-May

May-Jun

High

Yes

35-50

Very winter hardy; adapted to sandy soils

'Lana' woollypod

V. villosa spp. dasycarpa

Viny

18-24

Mar-May

Apr-Jun

High

Yes

40-60

Produces some hard seed; popular in California

Purple

V. benghalensis

Viny

18-24

Apr-May

May-Jun

High

Yes

40-60

Least winter hardy vetch; popular in California

Nonlegumes Grasses

Annual ryegrass

Lolium multiflorum

Erect

36-60

Apr-May

Jun-Sep

Yes

Yes

20-35

Rapid growth; high biomass; late maturity may lead to competition with trees and vines

Soft chess ('Blando' brome)

Bromus mollis

Semierect

12-30

Mar-Apr

Apr-May

Yes

Yes

12-15

Reliable; reseeds well; good for erosion control, grazing

Foxtail fescue ('Zorro')

Festuca megalura

Erect

12-24

Mar-Apr

Apr

Yes

Yes

8-12

Tolerates poor soils; good for erosion control

Cereals

Barley

Hordeum vulgare

Erect

24-36

Apr-May

May-Jun

Yes

Yes

80-120

Heat, drought, and salinity tolerant

Cereal rye

Secale cereale

Erect

36-72

Apr-May

May-Jun

Yes

Yes

60-120

'Merced' is drought tolerant; many varieties tolerate waterlogged soils.

Oat

Avena sativa

Erect

24-60

Apr-May

May-Jun

Yes

Yes

100-120

Relatively drought intolerant; tolerates wet soils

Others

Mustards

Brassica spp.

Erect

24-72

Mar-May

Apr-Jun

No

Yes

10-15

Rapid growth; may host brassica crop pathogens

Tansy phacelia

Phacelia tanacetifolia

Semierect

12-36

Mar-May

May-Jun

No

Yes

10-15

Grows rapidly; residues decompose readily

PERENNIALS

Legumes

Birdsfoot trefoil

Lotus corniculatus

Semierect

12-24

Jun-Sep

Jul-Oct

Yes

No

10-15

Slow establishment

Strawberry clover

Trifolium fragiferum

Prostrate

8-12

May-Jun

Jun-Jul

Yes

Yes

10-15

Vigorous; invasive;heat and drought tolerant

White clover

Trifolium repens

Prostrate

8-12

May-Jul

Jul-Aug

Yes

Yes

10-15

Vigorous; invasive; shade tolerant

Nonlegumes

Perennial ryegrass

Lolium perenne

Semierect to erect days after seed

8-36

May-Sep

Jun-Oct

Yes

Yes

25-35

Vigorous; competitive

SUMMER ANNUALS

Legumes

Cowpea (blackeyed pea)

Vigna unguiculata

Erect, viny

18-36

40-80

35-40

Performs well with minimal irrigation; may attract lygus bugs

Hemp sesbania

Sesbania exaltata

Erect

48-120

60-85

20-25

Drought intolerant; may attract bean aphid

Hyacinth bean (lablab)

Dolichos lablab

Viny

18-36

60-85

40-45

Performs very well with minimal irrigation

Sunnhemp

Crotalaria juncea

Erect

48-120

60-85

20-25

Drought tolerant; rapid growth

Nonlegumes

Buckwheat

Fagopyrum esculentum

Erect

12-24

25-30

20-30

Drought intolerant; flowers attract beneficial insects, as well as lygus bugs

Sorghum and sudangrass

Sorghum bicolor

Erect

36-120

60-80

25-35

Rapid growth; performs well with minimum irrigation

NOTES:

Optimum seeding rates may vary based on local conditions and planting dates. Check with seed supplier for the most appropriate rates. Listed rates are for monocultures only. Use reduced rates for species mixtures. *Some characteristics listed apply to the most common varieties used in California. Characteristics may vary greatly by location.

Sources:

Bugg, R.L., R. Zomer and J.S. Auburn.1993.Cover Crops Database. UC Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program.

Finch, C.U. and W.C. Sharp. 1983. Cover Crops in California Orchards and Vineyards. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, Davis, CA.

Miller, P.R., W.L. Graves, W.A. Williams and B.A. Madson. 1989. Covercrops for California Agriculture. University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Publication 21471.

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