Astragalus newberryi

Common Names

Newberry's Milkvetch

Summary

Newberry's milkvetch is a native western United States perennial forb in Fabaceae, typically a low-growing, cespitose plant with many stems; leaves are alternate and pinnate with 3–15 leaflets (5–20 mm) that are greenish-gray and densely silky-hairy, with old leaf bases persisting. Flowers have a conspicuous banner petal larger than the wings and keel, pink to purple or white, arranged in loose clusters of 3–8; banner measures 21.5–30 mm and is recurved about 40 degrees; fruits are densely woolly inflated obovate legumes 13–28 mm long. It grows in rocky mesas and pinyon–juniper woodlands at elevations of 4,500–7,500 ft and blooms March–June, with a distribution across AZ, CA, CO, ID, NV, NM, and UT.

Cultivation and practical use: drought-tolerant perennial with a deep taproot, a nitrogen-fixer, and erosion-control potential, attractive to pollinators and offering ornamental value; prefers full sun and well-drained soil in native-like settings, with spacing of 12–18 inches. Propagation uses seeds requiring about 30 days cold stratification (10–14 days germination) or root division; flowering occurs March–June; plant can be poisonous to stock and horses.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-6 inches

Spread

24 inches

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun.

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil; pH 6.0–7.5

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soils (sandy, loamy, rocky, or gravelly)

Soil pH

6.0-7.5 (pH)

Bloom Color

Pink and Purple

Bloom Time

Spring to Summer

Foliage Color

Grey-green to silvery foliage

Growth Rate

Moderate

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Cuttings

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees and butterflies