Abstract: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) has been cultivated in China for more than 2000 years since its introduction during the Han dynasty. Currently, alfalfa is the most widely planted forage grass in China. Despite the importance of this species as a forage, research on alfalfa began late in China, and has rapidly developed in recent years. In this study, we obtained data from the Web of Science (WOS), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and other related databases, and then used a literature metrology method to analyze the history of research on alfalfa conducted by Chinese scholars since 1950. We explored the research achievements, evolution of hot spots, and key nodes in a historical context of nearly 65 years, and compared the tracks of domestic and international research on alfalfa. Our results showed that, since 1950, there has been an increase in the momentum of research on alfalfa conducted by Chinese scholars. According to the growth curve of the number of alfalfa publications, the period since 1950 can be divided into five periods, with the fast-growth stage in alfalfa research occurring after 2000. Our analyses showed that the internationalization of Chinese alfalfa research has increased over time, and that China is now the second-most important source of alfalfa research. In the early years of alfalfa research, the main topics were the mining of local varieties and genetic resources. More recently, research topics have included yield improvement, quality improvement, and breeding and cultivation theory. Also, there has been a considerable body of research on the development of alfalfa industries, comparisons of alfalfa cultivation and use between China and other countries, molecular biology, and interspecific relationships. The growth of the alfalfa industry, the emergence of new science and technology journals, and the increase in funding for scientific research have contributed to the rapid developments in alfalfa research over the last 65 years. The results of this study suggest that with the transformation of food structure and the development of grassland agriculture in China, alfalfa research has shifted from basic theory to technology, so that it can support the needs of major national strategies and provide basic science knowledge.