Santa Barbara Milkvetch
Astragalus trichopodus
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States
Source: Wikimedia | License: CC BY-SA 3.0 | Artist: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Pkravchenko" title="User:Pkravchenko">Pkravchenko</a>
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Astragalus
- Species:
- Astragalus trichopodus
- USDA Symbol:
- ASTR6
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- white, cream, yellow
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
Christina's sulphur (Colias christina), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Queen Alexandra's Sulphur (Colias alexandra), Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Anthophora californica, Bombus californicus, Yellow-faced bumble (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, native pollinators
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seed coat scarification improves germination rates. Seeds benefit from cold-moist stratification after scarification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI