Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus altus

USDA Symbol:

ASAL8

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

100 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white, cream

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, native pollinators, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Prairie species that resprouts from root crown after fire. Benefits from periodic fire in native grassland ecosystems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or rocky soil

pH:

6.5 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to arid and semi-arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Scarification improves germination rates. Legume seeds benefit from mechanical scarification or hot water treatment before cold stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI