Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Astragalus

Species:

Astragalus stevenianus

USDA Symbol:

ASST21

Growth Characteristics

Height:

30 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

purple, violet

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, small mammals

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained calcareous soil

pH:

6.5 - 7.5 (neutral to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to steppes and rocky slopes

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Hard seed coat typical of Astragalus requires scarification. Cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI