Astragalus trichopodus
Santa barbara milkvetch
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Astragalus trichopodus (Santa barbara milkvetch) is a native California subshrub in the Fabaceae family, recognized by robust bushy-branched species.
Santa barbara milkvetch is a California native perennial found in coastal and southern California regions in coastal sage scrub and chaparral at moderate elevations. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces cream-colored flowers with faint lilac blush, with individual flowers 11 to 19 millimeters long. Growing with robust, bushy-branched stems 20 to 100 centimeters tall that are minutely strigose, it has a distinctive spreading growth habit. Its leaves are compound with 15 to 39 lance-shaped leaflets, each 2 to 25 millimeters long, arranged along stems generally subsessile. The fruit is a distinctive pendulous, bladdery pod 13 to 45 millimeters long, with thin papery walls and sparse minute hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; robust bushy-branched species
Habitat and range
California counties: Ventura, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Kern, San Diego, San Bernardino, San Joaquin
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 trichopodus native to California?
Yes. Astragalus trichopodus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Astragalus trichopodus grow?
Astragalus trichopodus occurs in Ventura, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Riverside, Kern, San Diego and other counties.
What plant family does Astragalus trichopodus belong to?
Astragalus trichopodus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus trichopodus var. antisellii — Antisell milkvetch
- Astragalus trichopodus var. lonchus — Santa barbara milkvetch
- Astragalus trichopodus var. trichopodus — Santa barbara milkvetch
- Astragalus umbraticus — Bald mountain milkvetch
- Astragalus webberi — Webber's milkvetch
- Astragalus whitneyi — Balloon 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.