Astragalus echinus

Astragalus echinus belongs to the pea family, Fabaceae. It is a perennial, so it lives for more than one year. Plants For A Future places its native range in western Asia. This range includes Syria. Its wider range takes in Lebanon, Israel, and Cyprus. It also includes Saudi Arabia and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. In northern Israel, it grows on bare mountain slopes among tragacanth shrubs. The RHS says it is not native to Britain or Ireland. The RHS has not yet resolved its botanical name.

The plant grows to about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres] tall. The sources give no spread and few leaf details. They give no flower colour or fruit shape for this species. Each flower has both male and female organs. Bees, moths, and butterflies bring pollen to the flowers. These records do not say when the plant blooms. They class it as a perennial, not an annual.

Grow this species in full sun and dry soil. It will not grow in shade. Sand or loam suits it if water drains well. It accepts ground that is mildly acid or mildly alkaline. It also grows in neutral soil. Plants For A Future lists garden beds as a place to grow it. The sources give no hardiness zone or lowest winter heat level. Try not to disturb the roots when moving plants. Put young plants in their final sites while still small. This cuts the need to move them later.

Root nodules hold bacteria that help it use nitrogen from the air. Nearby plants may gain some of this nitrogen too. Grow new plants from seed, best sown fresh in a cold frame. Stored seed may benefit from a spell of cold treatment. The source also describes a seed soak to help seeds sprout. Seeds that do not swell may need careful pricking, then another soak. Take care not to harm the embryo, the young plant inside. Seeds may sprout in four to nine weeks near 55°F. They may take longer. Once seedlings are large enough to handle, give each its own pot.

The plant gives off a sweet substance called manna. Plants For A Future notes its use in foods and drinks. It gives this species a low rating for edible use. It reports no known uses as medicine or for other purposes. The evidence does not show whether this species is toxic. It names no pests or diseases specific to this species. Plants For A Future does not flag it as weedy.