Missouri Milkvetch

(Astragalus missouriensis Nutt.)

Fabaceae (Legume Family)

mature flowering plants ▼▲

closer view of leaves and flowers ▲

flower ▲

uprooted plant, showing tap root ▲

seed pods from mature plant ▲

Missouri milkvetch is a native range/prairie simple perennial plant with a sprawling growth habit and often quite showy flowers (more flowers per head further south; fewer flowers per head in northern states).  It flowers in early-mid spring (depending on latitude), with seed pods following soon afterward.

Although this plant is closely related to the Woolly Locoweed (Astragalus mollisimus), Missouri milkvetch has very low toxicity.  Missouri Milkvetch can accumulate selenium to some degree, which will make it less palatable or desirable for livestock.

o   Missouri Milkvetch:  (pp. 300-301 in Weeds of the Great Plains; not in Weeds of the Northeast)

§  Has pinnately compound leaves with oval, dark-green leaflets on spreading stems; grows 6” tall and 12-18” wide

§  Flowers are showy, purplish-blue pea-like flowers in mid-spring (April)—northern plants have fewer flowers per cluster than southern plants; fruit is short, fat, fuzzy pod

§  Accumulate selenium, but not usually grazed, nor considered  very poisonous

§  Found on prairies, rangeland, roadsides