Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus spatulatus

USDA Symbol:

ASSP6

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

15 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

purple, pink, white

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, small mammals

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; part of fire-adapted grassland and steppe communities.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.5 - 7.5 (neutral to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to 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:

14–42 days

Notes:

Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Cold stratification beneficial but not always required.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI