Flower profile
Alpine milkvetch
Astragalus alpinus
Alpine milkvetch is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Alaska it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Alaska
Quick look
Astragalus alpinus is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name alpine milkvetch. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring throughout the upper latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 16 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. NatureServe
- In Alaska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 456 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #95 among the 108 flowers on our Alaska list. iNaturalist
Alpine milkvetch gift ideas
Handmade alpine milkvetch gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
-
Placeholder
Alpine milkvetch art print
-
Placeholder
Alpine milkvetch greeting card
-
Placeholder
Alpine milkvetch mug
-
Placeholder
Alpine milkvetch earrings
-
Placeholder
Alpine milkvetch embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Alpine milkvetch sticker
When does it bloom?
In Alaska, most flowering sightings come in June–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Alaska
- No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alaska.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: MN (S1), NV (S2), UT (S1), VT (SH), WI (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
ASPCA's entry “Loco Weed (Astragalus spp.)” (Astragalus spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to horses. Signs include: Incoordination, depression, inability to eat and drink, fetal death and birth defects Credit: Image Courtesy of Gary Coffman, PBase.com Gallery… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records alpine milkvetch in 16 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Alaska counties with USDA records: Aleutians East, Anchorage, Bethel, Chugach, Copper River, Denali, Dillingham, Fairbanks North Star, Haines, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Sitka, Southeast Fairbanks, Yakutat, Yukon-Koyukuk.
More Alaska flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ASAL7.
- iNaturalist, Astragalus alpinus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Astragalus alpinus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Alaska: Alaska prohibited and restricted noxious weeds (11 AAC 34.020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Astragalus alpinus (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Bonnie Isaac via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.