Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus calycinus

USDA Symbol:

ASCA43

Growth Characteristics

Height:

20 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

purple, pink

Ground Cover:

Yes

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:

Resprouts from woody crown following fire. Part of fire-adapted sagebrush steppe communities with moderate fire tolerance.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or rocky soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

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:

14–30 days

Notes:

Scarification improves germination rates. Seeds benefit from inoculation with appropriate Rhizobium bacteria for nitrogen fixation.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI