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Plant Profile

Tennessee Milkvetch (Astragalus tennesseensis)

The Tennessee milkvetch produces white flowers from mid-to-late spring. Photo Credit:

Global Rank: G3 - Vulnerable
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Fabaceae
State: AL, IL, IN, TN
Nature Serve ID: 160713
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/25/1988

Description:

This species is in the same genus as the plants referred to as 'locoweed', which are well known for their affect on cattle. Due to research by government organizations and universities, we now know a great deal about propagating this species from seed and cuttings (Native Plants Network 2002, letter from Marlin Bowles 4.Feb.1988). As a result, the Holden Arboretum in Mentor, Ohio has been able to cultivate this species and has created suitable habitat for this milkvetch on their grounds. This species produces clusters of creamy flowers in April and May and it produces seed in late summer and fall. Tennessee milkvetch is extremely rare in its range, and has been extirpated from northern Illinois and Indiana. With the information provided by research of this species, restoration of populations in suitable habitat is underway.

Where is Tennessee Milkvetch (Astragalus tennesseensis) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Dry gravel prairies in its northern range, calcareous barrens and cedar-glades in the southern part of its range with full sun to partial shade (Baskin & Baskin 1972)

Distribution:

Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Alabama (Baskin & Baskin 1972)

States & Provinces:

Tennessee Milkvetch can be found in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee

Which CPC Partners conserve Tennessee Milkvetch (Astragalus tennesseensis)?

Holden Forests and Gardens

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

Missouri Botanical Garden

Not Sponsored

Conservation Actions

Assigned 03/13/23

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Tina Stanley

03/14/2023

Missouri Botanical Garden holds accessions of Astragalus tennesseensis in orthodox seed banking.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

A narrowly endemic, rare and diminishing species.

01/01/2010

Deer grazing Insect larvae that kill adults in the spring Extreme drought or wet seasons (Webb et al 1992)

01/01/2010

In 1988 there was only one extant population left in the area containing Illinois and Indiana. Currently there is an additional population in Indiana from a reintroduction project and seven counties in Illinois have populations due to similar efforts. The species is found in eight counties in Tennessee. There is no information on Alabama populations. (Webb et al. 1992)

01/01/2010

Marlin Bowles and his colleagues at the Morton Arboretum have created a greenhouse population and are involved in reintroduction programs. Illinois DNR nursery manager, David Horvath and Carol and Jerry Baskin of the University of Kentucky have independently created propagation protocols from seed. (Native Plant Network 2002) The Illinois DNR has monitored the remaining natural population at Manito Prairie during the 1990's.

01/01/2010

Continued reintroduction and protection of suitable habitat