{"title":"Astragalus","description":"\u003cp\u003eMost people are familiar with Astragalus as a Chinese traditional herb that is used to prolong life and combat diabetes or as the source of a Middle Eastern paste called tragacanth or shiraz gum. However, we grow Astragalus species that are noted for their ornamental properties, not their medicinal or industrial properties.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAstragalus plants are generally vines or small herbs with vetch-like foliage topped with clusters of colorful pea flowers. Astragalus prefers full sun and will spread to make a nice groundcover. Since it is in the family Fabaceae, Astragalus acts as green manure and enriches the soil with nitrogen. Its spreading nature makes Astragalus a wonderful cottage garden or meadow plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eTry combining Astragalus in your garden with ornamental grasses such as \u003ca title=\"Andropogon\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/andropogon\"\u003eAndropogon\u003c\/a\u003e or Elymus or with other meadow plants like \u003ca title=\"Spigelia\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/spigelia\"\u003eSpigelia\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Monarda\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/monarda\"\u003eMonarda\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Gaillardia\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/gaillardia\"\u003eGaillardia\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca title=\"Echinacea plants\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/purple-coneflower-plant-echinacea-purpurea-plants\"\u003eEchinacea plants\u003c\/a\u003e, Eustoma, or \u003ca title=\"Coreopsis\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/coreopsis\"\u003eCoreopsis\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eOnly one species of Astragalus is used in Chinese medicine, A. propinquus. The round, juicy seed pods of one US native species (A. crassicarpus) are a traditional Native American food called ground plums or buffalo beans. Other species (A. lentiginosus, A. bisulcatus and others) are poisonous, causing blind staggers and loco disease that kill thousands of livestock animals every year. So be careful which ground plum you eat. Some extend life and others shorten it. The name Astragalus is derived from the Greek astragalos which means neck vertebrae or ankle bone (depending on usage) and is so named because the flowers and seeds reminded some long dead taxonomist of these rounded bones. When you are ready to buy Astragalus for your garden, check out our online list of Astragalus for sale.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/astragalus.oembed","provider":"Plant Delights Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}