Description

Astragalus cicer,
Cicer Milkvetch (Introduced)

Medium height, 1 – 3 ft. tall, long-lived, rhizomatous, nitrogen-fixing, spreading legume. Adapted to all soil textures but does best on medium to fine textures. Fair acid, strong alkali, medium salt and fair drought-tolerances. Grows well on infertile soils and is winter-hardy. Abundant, palatable, non-bloating, forage producer; moderately tolerant to grazing. Valuable species for hay, pasture, rangeland and wildlife improvement. Also important for soil erosion control and mining and related reclamation. Inoculate seed with rhizobium bacteria. Seed has high dormancy rate. Minimum precip. is 10 -12 inches. Plant fall or spring ¼ – ¾ inch deep. 145,000 seeds/lb.

Named Releases: ‘Lutana’ (Cultivar) Released in 1970 by the Bridger MT, PMC, AES and WY AES. Developed from 127 plants selected for early spring growth, rapid recovery after cutting, rapid rhizome spread and uniformity of seed maturity.

‘Monarch’ (Cultivar) Released by the CSU CRL in Ft. Collins, CO. Developed as a 40 -clone synthetic cultivar with improved seedling emergence over Lutana.

USDA: Plant Profile | Plant Guide