Fabaceae
Purple milkvetch
Astragalus agrestis
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Astragalus
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Common names
By language (3)
- Chinese
- 毛喉黃耆, 毛喉黄耆, 毛喉黄芪
- English
- Purple milkvetch, Field milkvetch, Purple loco
- Irish
- Bleachtphiseán
Synonyms
- Astragalus agrestis f. agrestis
- Astragalus agrestis f. virgultulus (E.Sheld.) B.Boivin
- Astragalus agrestis var. bracteatus (Osterh.) M.E.Jones
- Astragalus agrestis var. polyspermus (Torr. & A.Gray) M.E.Jones
- Astragalus danicus f. virgultulus (E.Sheld.) B.Boivin
- Astragalus danicus subsp. dasyglottis (Ledeb.) Vorosch.
- Astragalus danicus var. dasyglottis (Ledeb.) B.Boivin
- Astragalus dasiglottis Fisch.
- Astragalus dasyglottis Fisch. ex DC.
- Astragalus dasyglottis var. tschujensis Krylov
- Astragalus goniatus Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray
- Astragalus goniatus Nutt.
- Astragalus hypoglottis Hook.
- Astragalus hypoglottis var. bracteatus Osterh.
- Astragalus hypoglottis var. dasyglottis Ledeb.
- Astragalus hypoglottis var. polyspermus Torr. & A.Gray
- Astragalus hypoglottis var. robustus Hook.
- Astragalus hypoglottis var. tschujensis Krylov
- Astragalus tarletonis Britton & Rydb.
- Astragalus virgultulus E.Sheld.
- Phaca agrestis (Douglas ex G.Don) Piper
- Tragacantha dasyglossis (Ledeb.) Kuntze
Flowers
- Flower colour
- purple (USDA PLANTS Database)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native
Toxicity: Slight, as listed by the USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29). USDA rates how toxic a plant is to people or livestock; it is not a pet-safety rating, so ask a vet or poison line if a pet or child ate it.
Photos
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Nadiatalent, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Astragalus
- Licorice milkvetchAstragalus glycyphyllosFabaceae
- Chickpea milkvetchAstragalus cicerFabaceae
- Astragalus danicusFabaceae
- Arenarious milk-vetchAstragalus arenariusFabaceae
- Alpine milkvetchAstragalus alpinusFabaceae
- Pallid milk vetchAstragalus frigidusFabaceae
- Astragalus boeticusFabaceae
- Mountain lentilAstragalus penduliflorusFabaceae
- Astragalus austriacusFabaceae
- Astragalus onobrychisFabaceae
- Indian milkvetchAstragalus australisFabaceae
- Astragalus alopecurusFabaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.