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Hedysarum occidentale

Hedysarum occidentale Greene

Western Sweetvetch, Western Sweet-vetch

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: HEOC

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Bunched stems with papery brown sheaths at base, pinnately compound leaves, and deep pink or pinkish-purple spires of nodding pea flowers in dense racemes.

In the West only four species of Hedysarum represent this northern genus of about 100 species.

From the Image Gallery

No images of this plant

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep

Distribution

USA: CO , ID , MT , UT , WA , WY
Canada: AB , BC
Native Distribution: Washington east to Montana and south to Colorado.
Native Habitat: Meadows and open forests at high elevations.

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Web Reference

Webref 62 - Burke Herbarium Image Collection (2020) University of Washington
Webref 63 - Pacific Northwest Wildflowers (2020) Turner Photographics
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Hedysarum occidentale in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Hedysarum occidentale in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Hedysarum occidentale

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-06-06
Research By: TWC Staff

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