Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus atropubescens

USDA Symbol:

ASAT2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

30 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

purple, violet

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

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Adapted to fire-prone sagebrush steppe ecosystems. Can resprout from woody caudex and root crown after fire disturbance.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained, calcareous soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to limestone-rich areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seed coat scarification improves germination rates. Seeds may have hard seed coats typical of legumes requiring mechanical or acid treatment.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI