Astragalus. Astragalus praelongus Fabaceae Family ( Pea ) Astragalus. Also called: Locoweed, Rattleweed, Stinking Milkvetch, or Milk Vetch. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. The Astragalus genus is very large and complex. World-wide there are about 1600 species. Hundreds of thes species are in the Western United States. There are over 100 species in Arizona. They are considered very hard to identify. In Arizona, we are often considered to be very lucky just to identify them as an Astragalus. It is the seed pod, not the flower, that is often crucial in the identification process. Poisonous species of Astragalus are known as locoweeds. Others are known as Milkvetch. Astragalus praelongus is a stout, erect perennial. Quick Notes: Height: Up To 48" Tall. Most are about 12 inches to 24 inches. Flowers: Cream Colored, pealike, drooping to 7/8 inch long, in raceme to 3 inches long. They are followed by a white, inflated pod about 1/2 inch wide and 1 1/2 inch long. Flowering Time: May - August. Seeds: Seedpods 1 1/2 - 3" long, 3/8 - 1/2" in diameter; a cylindrical pod; short-pointed at ends, dark brown or black, hard; maturing in summer, remaining attached, often opening late; many elliptical flattened shiny brown; seeds. Leaves: Gray-green to 6 inches long with 11 - 27 elliptical leaflets each about 3/4 inch long and slightly curved upward. Found: Native to the USA (AZ, CO, NM, NV, UT); and northern Sonora, & Baja California, in Mexico. Hardiness: USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 �C (-5 �F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 �C (0 �F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 �C (5 �F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F) Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Elevation: 2,800 - 6,500 Feet. Habitat: Found in selenium-rich clays, silts, and sandy soil of plains and desert. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken May 16, 2005 near Hillside, Arizona.

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