Utah Milkvetch
Astragalus utahensis
- Native to:
- United States
Mason Brock ( Masebrock (en.wikipedia.org) )
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Astragalus
- Species:
- Astragalus utahensis
- USDA Symbol:
- ASUT
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 30 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
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:
- rocky, well-drained, calcareous soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in limestone-rich areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat benefits from scarification before cold stratification. Germination can be erratic without proper treatment.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Scarify seed coat using a 20 minute soak in concentrated sulfuric acid followed by consecutive water rinses. Break physiological dormancy by moist cold stratification for 4 weeks with fungicide. Alternatively, leaching seed in water for 48 hours may yield high germination rates without cold treatments.
Establishment: Seed collection requires hand collection from wildland stands from mid-June to mid-July. Later harvests are possible with increasing seed loss. Seeds are stored in breathable bags until cleaned.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Put in deep pot; protect from damping off