Bloomipedia
Utah milkvetch (Astragalus utahensis)
Photo: Daughter Dad via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Utah milkvetch

Astragalus utahensis

Native to Utah

Utah milkvetch is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Utah it's most often seen in bloom in March–December.

5states
1,314UT sightings*
1,399U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Utah

Quick look

Astragalus utahensis, commonly called the Utah milkvetch, is a species of plant in the legume family.

  • 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 5 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Utah. NatureServe
  • In Utah, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–December. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,314 research-grade sightings of it in Utah, ranking #37 among the 109 flowers on our Utah list. iNaturalist

Utah milkvetch gift ideas

Handmade utah milkvetch gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

In Utah, most flowering sightings come in March–December.

Flowering records by month in Utah (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (260 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Utah.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

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.

For petsToxic to horses

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 Utah milkvetch in 5 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming.

Utah counties with USDA records: Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Davis, Duchesne, Garfield, Iron, Juab, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber.

More Utah flowers

Yellow sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis)

Yellow sweetclover

Melilotus officinalis

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in UT: May–October
Woolly locoweed (Astragalus mollissimus)

Woolly locoweed

Astragalus mollissimus

Native

🌼 Blooms in UT: March–May
Boreal sweet-vetch (Hedysarum boreale)

Boreal sweet-vetch

Hedysarum boreale

Native

🌼 Blooms in UT: April–July

Sources