Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus physodes

USDA Symbol:

ASSU30

Growth Characteristics

Height:

40 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white, cream, pale yellow

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:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

Common in arid and semi-arid regions; prefers open, sunny locations.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard seed coats typical of legumes. Scarification followed by cold stratification improves germination rates significantly.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI