Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus lentiginosus

USDA Symbol:

ASLE8

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual | Biennial | Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb , Shrub , Subshrub

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

purple, pink, white

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, seed-eating birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

often found in arid desert regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

10–30 days

Notes:

Scarify seed coat before cold stratification. Hard-coated legume seeds benefit from nicking or brief hot water soak before stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI