Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi
Balloonpod milkvetch
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi (Balloonpod milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by pink/lilac flowers and glabrous inflated pods.
Balloonpod milkvetch is a California native perennial found in the southern High Sierra Nevada, southern Sierra Nevada Foothills, central Sierra Nevada, northern Western Transverse Ranges, northern eastern Sierra Nevada, and White and Inyo Mountains in open, sandy and rocky slopes especially at or above timberline to foothills at elevations of 1,550 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces pink or lilac flowers with pale wing tips, with banner petals 8 to 16 millimeters long. Growing with stems 3 to 11 centimeters tall, the plant appears green to grayish with herbage hairs that are incurved-ascending to appressed. Its leaves are spaced with distinct intervals between leaflets, featuring 3 to 11 leaflets along the stem. The distinctive fruit is a glabrous pod 1.5 to 3 centimeters long, with a stalk-like base 3 to 15 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 67 sympatric species; pink/lilac flowers and glabrous inflated pods are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, sandy and rocky slopes especially at or above timberline, to foothills
Elevation: 1550-3500 m
California counties: Mono, Kern, Inyo, Ventura, Amador, Fresno, Lassen, Madera, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Alpine, Modoc, Nevada, Tulare, Tuolumne
Outside California: western Nevada
Bloom period
Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi blooms May-Sep.
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 whitneyi var. whitneyi native to California?
Yes. Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi bloom?
Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi grow?
Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi occurs in Mono, Kern, Inyo, Ventura, Amador, Fresno, Lassen, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 1550-3500 m.
What plant family does Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi belong to?
Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi grow in?
Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi grows in Open, sandy and rocky slopes especially at or above timberline, to foothills.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus accidens var. hendersonii — Henderson's milkvetch
- Astragalus acutirostris — Beaked rattle weed
- Astragalus agnicidus — Humboldt county milkvetch
- Astragalus agrestis — Field milkvetch
- Astragalus albens — Cushenbury milkvetch
- Astragalus allochrous var. playanus — Playa milkvetch
- Bituminaria bituminosa — Arabian pea
- Bituminaria sp.
- Caesalpinia gilliesii — Bird-of-paradise
- Caesalpinia sp.
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.