Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Astragalus purshii is a species of milkvetch known by the common names woollypod milkvetch and Pursh's milkvetch. It is native to much of western North America, including the southwestern provinces of Canada and the northwestern United States, where it is known from many types of habitat. This is a small perennial herb forming clumps on the ground no taller than 14 centimeters. The leaves are up to 15 centimeters long and are made up of many oval or rounded leaflets. Stems and leaflets are coated in woolly white hairs. The flower cluster is a cluster of 1 to 11 pink, purple, or white flowers each between 1 and 3 centimeters long. The fruit is a legume pod up to 3 centimeters long which is coated densely in thick white hairs.

Plant type

Perennial herb

Size

7 in Tall

Form

Mounding

Growth rate

Moderate

Calscape icon
Color

White, Pink, Purple

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun

Soil description

Prefers sandy or loamy soils. Does not grow well in clay soils.

Propagation

For propagating by seed: No treatment.

Site type

Dry flats, slopes

Plant communities

Alpine Fell-Fields, Lodgepole Forest, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Red Fir Forest, Sagebrush Scrub, Subalpine Forest, Yellow Pine Forest

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 25 likely

Confirmed Likely

Orange Tortrix Moth

Argyrotaenia franciscana

Alfalfa Looper Moth

Autographa californica

Orange Sulphur

Colias eurytheme