Astragalus pomonensis
Pomona milkvetch
(c) Justin Paulin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus pomonensis (Pomona milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by hollow stems and deciduous bladder fruits.
Pomona milkvetch is a California native perennial found in southern Coastal Ranges, southern California, Peninsular Ranges, and western desert regions in shrubby, grassy, or disturbed areas at elevations below 1,200 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces cream-colored flowers in loose clusters with 10 to 45 spreading or reflexed blooms. Growing with stout, ascending stems 25 to 80 centimeters tall that are leafy and hollow, it forms clumped clusters in its habitat. Its compound leaves feature 25 to 41 elliptic leaflets, each 6 to 30 millimeters long and sparsely hairy on the underside. The fruit develops as a bladdery, papery pod 18 to 45 millimeters long, often appearing somewhat transparent and containing 34 to 55 seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 47 sympatric species; key features are hollow stems and deciduous bladder fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: shrubby, grassy, or disturbed areas
Elevation: < 1200 m
California counties: Riverside, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Monterey, Orange
Outside California: northwestern Baja California
Bloom period
Astragalus pomonensis blooms Mar-May.
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 pomonensis native to California?
Yes. Astragalus pomonensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus pomonensis bloom?
Astragalus pomonensis blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Astragalus pomonensis grow?
Astragalus pomonensis occurs in Riverside, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Monterey and other counties, at elevations of < 1200 m.
What plant family does Astragalus pomonensis belong to?
Astragalus pomonensis is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus pomonensis grow in?
Astragalus pomonensis grows in shrubby, grassy, or 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.