Lesser Rushy Milkvetch
Astragalus convallarius
- Native to:
- United States
iNaturalist: © andershastings (iNaturalist #221727698)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Astragalus
- Species:
- Astragalus convallarius
- USDA Symbol:
- ASCO12
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- 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
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, calcareous soil
- pH:
- 6.5 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–45 days
- Notes:
- Scarification improves germination rates. Seeds have hard coats typical of legumes and benefit from mechanical or chemical scarification before cold stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds need to be scarified by hand with sandpaper for 30-90 seconds until seed coat abrasion is observed under a microscope.
Establishment: Seeds will germinate successfully (>75%) after various mechanical scarification treatments. The highest average germination was obtained under the 12/30° C temperature regime, corresponding to average temperatures in July (88% germination). Seed pods on a given plant ripen irregularly throughout the late summer, with only a few pods ripening at once on a single plant.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Put in deep pot; protect from damping off