Flower profile
Threeleaf milkvetch
Astragalus gilviflorus
Threeleaf milkvetch (Astragalus gilviflorus) is a flowering plant in the Fabaceae family, native in the lower 48 states.
Threeleaf milkvetch is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: North Dakota
Quick look
- 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 10 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to North Dakota. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 119 research-grade sightings of it in North Dakota, ranking #60 among the 116 flowers on our North Dakota list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
There are only a handful of North Dakota flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.
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
- North Dakota
- No list North Dakota has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's North Dakota ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in North Dakota.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CO (S2), ID (S2), OK (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 threeleaf milkvetch in 10 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming.
North Dakota counties with USDA records: Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burke, Burleigh, Divide, Dunn, Emmons, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Kidder, McHenry, McKenzie, McLean, Mountrail, Oliver, Pierce, Renville, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Steele, Stutsman, Ward, Wells, Williams.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 111 counties across 10 states; the most are in Montana (37), North Dakota (27), Wyoming (15).
Other Astragalus on Bloomipedia (12): Woollypod milkvetch, Ground-plum, Woolly locoweed, Drummond's milkvetch, Laxmann's milkvetch, Early purple milkvetch, Alpine milkvetch, Utah milkvetch, Timber milkvetch, Browse milkvetch.
More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.
More North Dakota flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ASGI5.
- iNaturalist, Astragalus gilviflorus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- North Dakota: North Dakota state noxious weeds (N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02), as listed by the ND Department of Agriculture.
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Astragalus gilviflorus (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: cwhippo via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.