812-217-7207
reseednursery@gmail.comPerennial • $6, 4-inch pot
| Height | 1 to 3 ft |
| Spacing | 1.5 to 2 ft |
| Sun Exposure | Full to Part Sun |
| Soil Exposure | Dry to Medium-Wet |
| Bloom Color | Cream |
| Bloom Time | May – Aug |
| Companion Plantings | Butterflyweed, Purple Prairie Clover, Tennessee Coneflower |
| Special Attributes |  |
Astragalus canadensis
Large, showy racemes with numerous cream-colored flowers top this somewhat sprawling member of the Legume family (Fabaceae) in summer, attracting mainly bumblebees and other larger pollinators that can access its difficult-to-reach nectar. Around 11 butterfly and moth species use Milkvetch as a host plant in the Kentuckiana area, including the striking Eastern Tailed-Blue butterfly, Clouded and Orange Sulphurs, and Gray Hairstreak. Like other Legumes, Canada Milkvetch fixes nitrogen in the soil and can grow in nearly any well-drained garden condition. This plant is easy to grow and may also be used for erosion control.
Mammalian herbivores will consume the foliage of this plant, so it may need protection from deer and rabbits until well established. Several game birds and small rodents may feed on the seeds. The unique leaves and flower structure adds interesting texture to the garden, and it would make a good groundcover if planted en masse. Another common name of this plant, Rattlebox, refers to the pods that are borne on the plant following its flowering period, which rattle with seeds.
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