Chickpea Milkvetch
Astragalus cicer
- Native to:
- Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia-Slovakia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Krym, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Ukraine
Kurt Stüber [1] (www.kurtstueber.de)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Astragalus
- Species:
- Astragalus cicer
- USDA Symbol:
- ASCI4
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, cream
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★★☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevadensis), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), White-shouldered bumble bee (Bombus appositus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers calcareous soils in native range
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 10–21 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification or hot water treatment before cold stratification for optimal germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Put in deep pot; protect from damping off