Star Seed

Cicer Milkvetch grow to 91 cm (36 inches) tall and spread to 3 m (10 ft.) with vigorous, creeping rhizomes. The yellow flowers are pea-like and bloom in early summer.

RANGE & HABITAT: Cicer Milkvetch is a spreading warm-season legume native to Eurasia, but well adapted to the Western United States. It is generally grown in the Rocky Mountain area from 610 to 3440m (2,000 to 8,000 ft.) and above 1,200m (4,000 ft.) in the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin states. Cicer Milkvetch can tolerate a wide range of soils, but it prefers loams, sandy-loams and limestone soils.

CULTIVATION: Seeds should be drilled to a depth of 0.6 to 2 cm (1/2 to 3/4 inches). The seeding rate should be doubled for broadcast seeding and doubled again for critical area planting. The planting date should be prior to the moistest season, usually early spring.

USES: Cicer Milkvetch is used for high elevation meadow, irrigated pastures, cover crop in orchards, windbreaks and restoration of big game ranges. It can be mixed with grasses to stabilize critical areas.

Click here to see the USDA Plant Guide

IMAGE: Derek J. Tilley @ USDA NRCS Idaho Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.