Foothills, montane. Shrublands, woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Above: Ormiston Point Road, Western San Juan National Forest, May 20, 2016.
Left: Abajo Mountains, Utah, June 12, 2009.

Astragalus scopulorum is common in the Four Corners area.  It is often, as in these photographs, a large plant with stems up to two feet long.  Flowers are nearly an inch long, numerous, in clusters, and yellow/white.  It is common for stems to recline along the ground, as the next photograph shows.

Thomas Porter named this plant in 1874 from a specimen he collected in 1872 and from a specimen Brandegee collected in 1873, both in Colorado.  "Scopulorum" means "of rocky places".

Foothills, montane. Shrublands, woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Abajo Mountains, Utah, June 12, 2009.

Light red stems recline along the ground and then turn upward to show their flowers.  Stems originate from a point in the lower center of this photograph.

Foothills, montane. Shrublands, woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Abajo Mountains, Utah, June 12, 2009 and Boggy Draw Trails, June 17, 2011.

Short, black hairs are sparse on the calyx, the banner stands quite upright, the wing petals are slightly shorter than the banner, and the keel is shorter than the wings.

Pods are curved, deeply grooved ("sulcate") on one side, and glabrous (without hairs). Green pods will curve more and ripen to maroon.

Foothills, montane. Shrublands, woodlands, openings. Spring, summer.
Boggy Draw Trails, June 17, 2011; Abajo Mountains, Utah, June 12, 2009;
Ormiston Point Road, Western San Juan National Forest, May 20, 2016.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Questionable presence

Range map for Astragalus scopulorum