North America Non-native Plant

Astragalus Chaborasicus

Botanical name: Astragalus chaborasicus

USDA symbol: ASCH14

Native status: Not native but doesn't reproduce and persist in the wild

The Mystery of Astragalus chaborasicus: What We Know (And Don’t Know) If you’ve stumbled upon the name Astragalus chaborasicus in your plant research, you might be scratching your head – and you wouldn’t be alone! This particular species name presents quite the botanical puzzle, as it doesn’t appear in major ...

The Mystery of Astragalus chaborasicus: What We Know (And Don’t Know)

If you’ve stumbled upon the name Astragalus chaborasicus in your plant research, you might be scratching your head – and you wouldn’t be alone! This particular species name presents quite the botanical puzzle, as it doesn’t appear in major plant databases or scientific literature.

The Search for Information

Despite thorough research through botanical databases, horticultural sources, and scientific publications, reliable information about Astragalus chaborasicus remains elusive. This could mean several things:

  • It might be a very recently described species that hasn’t yet made it into mainstream botanical resources
  • The name could be a variant spelling or synonym of another Astragalus species
  • It may not be a validly published botanical name

What We Do Know: The Astragalus Family

While we can’t speak specifically about Astragalus chaborasicus, we do know that the Astragalus genus is fascinating! These plants, commonly known as milkvetches, represent one of the largest genera of flowering plants, with hundreds of species found primarily in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Geographic Mystery

Without verified information, we cannot determine where Astragalus chaborasicus might naturally occur or whether it would be suitable for cultivation in gardens.

A Word of Caution for Gardeners

Given the uncertainty surrounding this plant’s identity and characteristics, we cannot recommend it for garden use at this time. If you’re interested in growing milkvetches in your garden, consider these alternatives:

  • Research well-documented Astragalus species native to your region
  • Consult with local native plant societies
  • Work with reputable native plant nurseries

Moving Forward

If you have reliable information about Astragalus chaborasicus or believe you’ve encountered this plant, we’d encourage you to:

  • Consult with botanical experts or universities
  • Verify the plant’s identity through proper botanical channels
  • Consider contributing to botanical knowledge if you have valid specimens

Sometimes in the plant world, mysteries like this remind us that there’s still so much to discover and learn about the natural world around us!

Astragalus Chaborasicus

Classification

Group

Dicot

Kingdom

Plantae - Plants

Subkingdom

Tracheobionta - Vascular plants

Superdivision

Spermatophyta - Seed plants

Division

Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants

Subdivision
Class

Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons

Subclass

Rosidae

Order

Fabales

Family

Fabaceae Lindl. - Pea family

Genus

Astragalus L. - milkvetch

Species

Astragalus chaborasicus Boiss. & Hausskn.

Plant data source: USDA, NRCS 2025. The PLANTS Database. https://plants.usda.gov,. 2/25/2025. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC USA