Flower profile
Tufted milkvetch
Astragalus spatulatus
Tufted 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: Wyoming
Quick look
Astragalus spatulatus is a plant in the milkvetch genus in the legume family and it is commonly referred to as tufted milkvetch and draba milkvetch. This plant was previously named Homalobus caespitosus by J. Torrey and A. Gray in 1838, however, it was reclassified into a new genus and then renamed in 1894 by E. Sheldon.
- 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 9 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Wyoming. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 355 research-grade sightings of it in Wyoming, ranking #84 among the 107 flowers on our Wyoming list. iNaturalist
Tufted milkvetch gift ideas
Handmade tufted 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
Tufted milkvetch art print
-
Placeholder
Tufted milkvetch greeting card
-
Placeholder
Tufted milkvetch mug
-
Placeholder
Tufted milkvetch earrings
-
Placeholder
Tufted milkvetch embroidery pattern
-
Placeholder
Tufted milkvetch sticker
When does it bloom?
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
- Wyoming
- No list Wyoming has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Wyoming ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Wyoming.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KS (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 tufted milkvetch in 9 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming.
Wyoming counties with USDA records: Albany, Big Horn, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Fremont, Goshen, Hot Springs, Johnson, Laramie, Lincoln, Natrona, Niobrara, Park, Platte, Sheridan, Sublette, Sweetwater, Uinta, Washakie, Weston.
More Wyoming flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ASSP6.
- iNaturalist, Astragalus spatulatus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Astragalus spatulatus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Wyoming: Wyoming state designated noxious weeds (W.S. 11-5-102(a)(xi)), as listed by the Wyoming Weed & Pest Council.
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Astragalus spatulatus (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Anders Hastings via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.