Astragalus lemmonii

Common Names

Lemmon's Milkvetch, Lemmon's Milk-Vetch

Summary

Lemmon's milkvetch is a native, perennial herb in the Fabaceae with prostrate, open, widely branched stems 10–50 cm long and leaves 1–4.5 cm long bearing 7–15 leaflets. Leaf surfaces abaxially strigillose and adaxially glabrous. Inflorescences are several and often paired in leaf axils, forming subcapitate racemes of 2–13 flowers. Flowers are white or lilac-tinged, with corollas 4.8–6.1 mm long. Fruits are small, papery, spreading pods 4–7 × 1.5–2 mm. It occurs in moist, alkaline meadows and along streams and lake shores within sagebrush scrub habitats, at elevations around 1200–2900 m, and is native to western North America including California and Oregon.

Conservation concerns stem from rarity and habitat sensitivity; threats include grazing, development, recreation, and non-native plants, which can impact soil and hydrology. Management and use focus on habitat protection, maintenance and restoration, limiting disturbance at known sites (especially grazing), monitoring populations, and collecting and banking seed for ex situ conservation; ecological value includes supporting caterpillars and butterflies in moist meadow and wetlands plant communities.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

4-20 inches

Spread

4-20 inches

Soil Type

Moist, alkaline soils

Soil Drainage

Moist to wet, poorly drained soils.

Soil pH

Alkaline (high pH) soils

Bloom Color

Whitish to lilac-tinted

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Yellow

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts butterflies and moths