Bei Bian Huang Qi (Astragalus complanatus)

Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae | Edibility: Edible (1/5)

Astragalus complanatus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 6in). It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). It can fix Nitrogen. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Leaves

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

None known. — Harvested fresh in season according to PFAF botanical monograph.

Habitat & North American Range

Dry slopes, meadows and gravelly soils at elevations of 1000-2400 metres in Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, W Sichuan, Yunnan. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)