Astragalus cicer
Chickpea milkvetch, Chickpea Milkvetch
(c) Matt Berger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Astragalus cicer (Chickpea milkvetch) is a non-native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by non-native, dense heads, spherical inflated blackening pods.
Chickpea milkvetch is a naturalized perennial herb found in central Sierra Nevada Foothills in Tuolumne County and northern Sierra Nevada in Nevada County, occurring in moist grassy areas and open woodlands at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces white flowers in dense, spheric or oblong heads with 6 to 30 ascending flowers. Growing with prostrate or ascending stems 30 to 70 centimeters long that are nearly hairless or with short, stiff, appressed hairs, it spreads in a diffuse, leafy pattern. Its compound leaves feature 5 to 35 millimeter elliptic to oblong leaflets with acute tips, arranged along stems with sheathing stipules at the base. The fruit is an ascending, inflated ovate pod 6 to 14 millimeters long, green when young and turning brown to black with a leathery texture as it matures.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 34 sympatric species; non-native, dense heads, spherical inflated blackening pods
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist grassy areas to open woodland, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 2000 m
California counties: Nevada, Tuolumne, Placer
Outside California: Nevada, Utah, native to Europe, southwestern Asia
Bloom period
Astragalus cicer blooms May-Aug.
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 cicer native to California?
No. Astragalus cicer is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Astragalus cicer bloom?
Astragalus cicer blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Astragalus cicer grow?
Astragalus cicer occurs in Nevada, Tuolumne, Placer, at elevations of < 2000 m.
What plant family does Astragalus cicer belong to?
Astragalus cicer is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus cicer grow in?
Astragalus cicer grows in Moist grassy areas to open woodland, disturbed areas.
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.