Astragalus bolanderi
Bolander's milkvetch
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus bolanderi (Bolander's milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by pods at angle to stalk with internal wing-like outgrowths.
Bolander's milkvetch is a native perennial herb found in the high Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada Mountains in dry sandy, rocky areas on meadow margins at elevations of 1,400 to 3,300 meters. Flowering from June to September, this plant produces white to faintly lilac-tinged flowers in clusters of 7 to 18 blooms, with petals 13 to 17.6 millimeters long. Growing with stiff, sparsely leafy stems 15 to 40 centimeters tall, the plant has a decumbent to erect growth habit with fine, wavy or curly hairs. Its compound leaves are 3 to 16 centimeters long, featuring 13 to 27 oblanceolate to oblong leaflets 5 to 20 millimeters long with a prominent midrib. The distinctive fruit is a stiff-papery, swollen pod 10 to 30 millimeters long, with an incurved body and a wing-like outgrowth in each chamber.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 37 sympatric species; pods at angle to stalk with internal wing-like outgrowths
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry sandy, rocky areas on margins of meadows
Elevation: 1400-3300 m
California counties: Fresno, Tulare, Amador, Plumas, El Dorado, Sierra, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Modoc, Calaveras, Madera, Stanislaus, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Lassen, Alpine
Outside California: west-central Nevada
Bloom period
Astragalus bolanderi blooms Jun-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Vicia: Astragalus has racemes of flowers; vetches (Vicia) have tendrils at leaf tips and climbing or sprawling habit.; vs Oxytropis: Astragalus keel tip is rounded to slightly pointed; Oxytropis keel has a pronounced pointed beak.; vs Cleomella: Astragalus has pea-shaped flowers; Cleomella has 4-petaled cruciform flowers with long stamens.; vs Lupinus: Astragalus has pinnate compound leaves; lupines have palmate leaves (leaflets radiating from one point).; vs Dalea: Astragalus has typical pea flowers; Dalea has tiny flowers with petals attached to the stamen tube.
Frequently asked questions
Is Astragalus bolanderi native to California?
Yes. Astragalus bolanderi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus bolanderi bloom?
Astragalus bolanderi blooms Jun-Sep.
Where in California does Astragalus bolanderi grow?
Astragalus bolanderi occurs in Fresno, Tulare, Amador, Plumas, El Dorado, Sierra, Tuolumne, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of 1400-3300 m.
What plant family does Astragalus bolanderi belong to?
Astragalus bolanderi is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus bolanderi grow in?
Astragalus bolanderi grows in dry sandy, rocky areas on margins of meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.