Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus sparsiflorus

USDA Symbol:

ASSP5

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual | Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

15 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

purple, pink

Ground Cover:

Yes

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

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:

prefers open, sunny locations with minimal competition

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

10–30 days

Notes:

Legume seeds have hard seed coats requiring scarification. Cold-moist stratification improves germination rates after scarification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI