Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Hedysarum

Species:

Hedysarum occidentale

USDA Symbol:

HEOC

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

pink, purple, magenta

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, small mammals

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from deep taproot following fire; typical of montane meadow and sagebrush steppe communities with periodic fire.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

well-drained, sandy or rocky 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 — 30–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Scarification of hard seed coat improves germination. Cold stratification recommended for best results.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI