Astragalus douglasii var. douglasii

Douglas's milkvetch

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Douglas's milkvetch is a California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi, southern Sacramento Valley, San Joaquin Valley, central Coast, southern Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, and Mojave Desert in open areas at elevations up to 2,500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces pale flowers in clusters with delicate, pointed calyx lobes. Growing with prostrate to ascending stems 20 to 70 centimeters long, it spreads in low, sprawling formations. Its complex leaves feature 11 to 25 leaflets, creating a dense, intricate foliage pattern. The distinctive fruit pods reach 25 to 60 millimeters in length, providing a notable visual characteristic of this adaptable milkvetch.

Habitat: Open areas

Bloom period: Apr-Jul

Elevation: < 2500 m

Bioregions: c&amps SN, Teh, s ScV, SnJV, CCo, SCoR, TR, DMoj.

California counties: San Bernardino, Ventura, Los Angeles, Tulare, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Kern, Yolo, Merced, San Luis Obispo, San Benito, Monterey, Madera, San Mateo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.