American milkvetch
Astragalus americanus

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 30-100 cm tall. The stems are thick at the base and do not have hairs. The leaves are alternate and divided into 9-17 leaflets. These are 2-5 cm long by 7-15 mm wide. The flowers are in groups of 15-40 in loose groups in the axils of leaves. The fruit is a slender pod 2-3 cm long.

There are 2,000 Astragalus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in moist meadows between 800-1,600 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Alaska, Canada, North America, USA

How it is used for food

Caution: It is poisonous so should not be eaten in large quantities.

Edible parts

Roots

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Astragalus frigidus var. americanus (Hook.) S. Watson;