Purple Locoweed
Oxytropis lambertii
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Matt Lavin (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Oxytropis
- Species:
- Oxytropis lambertii
- USDA Symbol:
- OXLA3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 40 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, pink, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Phaneta offectalis, Queen Alexandra's Sulphur (Colias alexandra), Silvery Blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus), Western Tailed-Blue (Everes amyntula)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from deep taproot following fire; common in fire-maintained prairie and grassland ecosystems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to prairies and open rocky areas
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 recommended after scarification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Scarification and 4 weeks cold stratification at 2-4 C
Establishment: Seeds are hand collected and stored dry for 3 weeks then at 2-4 C in seed bank until use. Germination occurs over several days. Time to potting is 1 month.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20°C. Seed germinates within 3 months Requires scarification. Nick or rub between sheets of sandpaper. Requires soaking. Place in warm water until seeds swell, usually 24-48 hours. Discard water and any seeds that remain floating. * tiny seed should be scarified with sandpaper or try soaking in boiling water to penetrate seed coat