Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus nuttallianus var. pleianthus

USDA Symbol:

ASPL8

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

25 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

purple, pink

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (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, native pollinators

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Prairie-adapted legume that resprouts from root crown after fire and benefits from reduced competition in burned grasslands.

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:

prefers open, sunny locations

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

10–30 days

Notes:

Hard seed coat requires scarification by mechanical abrasion or brief acid treatment. Cold stratification improves germination uniformity.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI