Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus falcatus

USDA Symbol:

ASFA3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

80 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

yellow, white, 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)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, native pollinators

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Tolerates fire through deep taproot and crown regrowth. Common in fire-maintained grasslands and benefits from periodic disturbance.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, calcareous, rocky soil

pH:

6.5 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

thrives in limestone-rich areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Hard seed coat benefits from scarification followed by cold-moist stratification. Germination improved with inoculation of appropriate Rhizobium.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI