Astragalus malacus
Shaggy milkvetch
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus malacus (Shaggy milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by long spreading hairs and pendent 3-sided fruits.
Shaggy milkvetch is a California native perennial found in eastern Mono, Inyo, and eastern Mojave Desert regions in sagebrush and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 900 to 2,350 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces red-violet flowers with a banner 15 to 21 millimeters long, recurved at approximately 45 degrees. Growing with ascending or erect stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall covered in spreading hairs 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters long, it forms a distinctive herb-like structure. Its leaves are 4 to 15 centimeters long with 7 to 21 leaflets that are 5 to 20 millimeters long, elliptic to obovate with slightly notched tips. The fruit is a pendulous, incurved pod 18 to 38 millimeters long, nearly three-sided and covered in long hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 79 sympatric species; distinguished by long spreading hairs and pendent 3-sided fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry rocky or stiff soils, sagebrush, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 900-2350 m
California counties: Lassen, Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono, Modoc
Outside California: to Oregon, Idaho, Nevada
Bloom period
Astragalus malacus blooms Apr-Jun.
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 malacus native to California?
Yes. Astragalus malacus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus malacus bloom?
Astragalus malacus blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Astragalus malacus grow?
Astragalus malacus occurs in Lassen, Inyo, San Bernardino, Mono, Modoc, at elevations of 900-2350 m.
What plant family does Astragalus malacus belong to?
Astragalus malacus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus malacus grow in?
Astragalus malacus grows in dry rocky or stiff soils, sagebrush, pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus miguelensis — San miguel island milkvetch
- Astragalus minthorniae var. villosus — Minthorn's milkvetch
- Astragalus mohavensis — Mohave locoweed
- Astragalus mohavensis var. hemigyrus — Curved-pod milkvetch
- Astragalus mohavensis var. mohavensis — Mojave milkvetch
- Astragalus monoensis — Mono milkvetch
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.