Botanical profile

Astragalus

Latin name
Astragalus membranaceus
Common name
Astragalus
Type
Perennial medicinal plant
Family
Fabaceae

Astragalus is a perennial medicinal and ornamental plant valued for its natural habit, delicate compound foliage, and light blooms that bring a rustic touch to the garden. Depending on the variety, it produces small flowers clustered in racemes, often in soft shades of white, yellow, pink, or purple, which attract pollinators and add biodiversity to landscapes. Its slender, wild appearance integrates very well into medicinal plant gardens, naturalized beds, rockeries, sunny borders, and spaces inspired by wildflower meadows.

Easy to grow in well-drained soil, astragalus generally prefers a sunny location and light soil, rather poor to moderately fertile. Once well established, it can tolerate drier conditions and requires little maintenance, making it an interesting plant for sustainable gardens and landscapes requiring hardy perennials. It is well suited for planting in the ground, naturalized beds, and herb or useful plant gardens, where it provides texture, lightness, and botanical interest.

Traditionally recognized as a medicinal plant, astragalus is also cultivated for its natural charm, hardiness, and ecological role in the garden. Its elegant foliage creates a beautiful contrast with grasses, yarrows, salvias, echinaceas, and many other sun-loving perennials. It is an excellent plant to enrich a medicinal garden, a country border, or a natural landscape with an original, hardy, and characterful perennial.

Care guide

Care level
Easy

Choosing this plant

Main benefit
Hardy medicinal perennial and nitrogen fixer
Medicinal garden, naturalistic border, pollinator garden, rock garden
Container growing
Container culture possible in a deep, well-drained container
Seasonal care
Remove dead foliage in spring; avoid heavy, waterlogged soils; divide rarely
Growing conditions

Light, soil, water and hardiness

Hardiness zone
Non-hardy (annual crop)
Exposure
Full sun
Watering
Moderate, well-drained soil
Humidity
Low to average humidity; prefers well-drained soils
Fertilization
Light compost in spring; avoid excess nitrogen fertilizer
Soil type
Light, deep, rather dry and well-drained soil
Soil pH
Neutral to slightly alkaline
Minimum temperature
-30°C
Propagation method
Sowing or division
Plant appearance

Blooming, foliage and shape

Blooming period
Summer
Flower color
Pale yellow
Fruiting
Decorative pods at the end of the season
Foliage color
Green
Foliage type
Obsolete
Shape
Upright tuft with compound leaves
Garden structure

Size and growth

Height
60 to 90 cm (24 to 36 inches)
Width
45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 inches)
Growth rate
Average growth
Vegetable garden and yield

Companion planting, spacing and harvest

Companion plants
Echinacea, yarrow, lavender, ornamental grasses
Plants to avoid
No specific, avoid very humid areas
Spacing
45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 inches)
Harvest period
Roots in autumn after a few years
Not recommended for pets
Not recommended for pets

Pets

The availability of our plants varies depending on arrivals, seasons, nursery production and supplier availability. Some varieties may be offered for a limited time only, depending on their natural cycle or current stock. These plant profiles are designed to guide and inspire you when choosing plants for the garden, landscaping projects, containers or long-lasting outdoor arrangements.