Astragalus sinicus

Flower name
Astragalus sinicus
Scientific name
Astragalus sinicus
Aliasレンゲソウ, Astragalus sinicus, レンゲ, 紫雲英
Place of originChina
Place of floweringFields and footpaths
Flowering seasonApril, May, June

What is Astragalus sinicus

Astragalus sinicus , Chinese vetch or Milk vetch(Scientific name: Astragalus sinicus) is a creeping perennial herb native to China and belongs to the genus Astragalus in the family Fabaceae. It is also known as Chinese milkvetc , milkvetch, gengge . It is a naturalized plant from China and Taiwan. It grows in rice paddies, fields, and roadsides. The stems branch at the base and spread over the ground.
The plant grows to a height of 10 to 25cm. Its leaves are odd-pinnate compound, with 7 to 11 oblong to elliptic leaflets. From April to June, it produces racemes of 7 to 10 small, red, butterfly-shaped flowers in axillary clusters. After flowering, it forms black, ripe legumes about 2 to 2.5cm long. Its uses include providing nectar as a food source for insects with its flowers, and its stems and leaves can be used as green manure or fodder.

Common name:Astragalus sinicus, Scientific name: Astragalus sinicus, Origin: China, Type of life: Perennial, Plant height: 10-25 cm, Leaf shape: Odd pinnate compound, Leaf shape: odd pinnate compound leaf, number of lobes: 7-11, leaf blade length: 0.8-1.5 cm, lobes: ovate to elliptic, Flowering season: April-June, flower length: 1-1.5 cm, inflorescence diameter: 2-2.8 cm, fruit type: bean fruit, fruit length: 2-2.5 cm, fruit color: black ripe, uses: nectar plant, green manure, fodder.