Crazy Weed, Purple locoweed
Oxytropis lambertii
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae
What it is like
Oxytropis lambertii is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in flower from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Dry prairies, calcareous gravels and bluffs. Limestone outcrops in Texas.
N. America - Minnesota to N Dakota, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, south to Texas and New Mexico
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Root. The whole plant, including the roots, is eaten by horses. No further details are given, but caution is advised, see notes at top of page. Used to make a mush, or parched and used for food. This report is probably referring to the seeds.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 0
Nitrogen Fixer: Plants that fix nitrogen in the soil
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Easily grown in an ordinary garden soil but prefers a sandy loam. Best in a deep, gritty perfectly drained soil in full sun. Strongly resents winter wet. A very ornamental and variable plant. Plants resent root disturbance and so should be pot-grown then and planted out into their permanent positions whilst still small. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria called Rhizobia. These bacteria form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen, plants may fail to flourish due to the absence of the appropriate Rhizobium species. Some of the nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.
Propagating it: Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water and then sow in a greenhouse in early spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as the cotyledons emerge in order to avoid damage to the root. Grow them on in the greenhouse and plant them out the following spring. Division in spring. Since the plant resents root disturbance this might not be a good idea.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 3-7
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
The plant is toxic to cattle, does it concentrate selenium from the soil? Horses that eat this plant become very difficult to handle and can imagine that a pebble is a large rock or that a wide stream is only narrow. The plant contains toxins, possibly indolizidine alkaloids. The toxin can accumulate in the body and causes trembling, high excitability, paralysis and death.