Astragalus gibbsii
Low-lying perennial legume native to California and Nevada, with hairy gray-green stems, leaves with several pairs of oval leaflets, an inflorescence of up to 30 yellowish-cream flowers, 2–3 cm pods, and a height of 15–30 cm, occurring in pine forest and sagebrush habitats at 1200–2400 m.
Common Names
Gibbs' Milkvetch, Gibbs Locoweed
Summary
Gibbs' milkvetch is a perennial herb native to California and Nevada, forming clumps with hairy gray-green stems 15–30 cm tall; leaves are 4–7 cm long with 7–13 obcordate leaflets 8–15 mm long, and an inflorescence that is short and dense, bearing up to about 30 yellowish or cream flowers roughly 15 mm long, with a 2–3 cm fruit pod.
Native to sandy grassland communities at elevations of 1200–2400 m, it grows in open areas with poor sandy soil in full sun; propagation is by spring sowing after scarification with 1–3 months germination at 10–13 °C, and cuttings can be taken in late summer.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
6-16 inches
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun.
Soil Type
Sandy soil (poor, dry)
Bloom Color
Yellowish or cream-colored.
Bloom Time
Spring to Summer
Foliage Color
Gray-green
Fall Foliage Color
Ochre yellow
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Kellogg
- Publication
- Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 2: 16 (1863)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Fabales
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Subfamily
- Papilionoideae
- Genus
- Astragalus
Synonyms
Astragalus gibbsii var. curvicarpus Homalobus gibbsii Homalobus plummerae Astragalus cyrtoides Tragacantha gibbsii