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Phool

Chinese milk-vetch

Astragalus sinicus, family Fabaceae

A flowering legume grown in China as green manure for farming

Chinese milk-vetch is a flowering plant in the pea family, native to China. Farmers commonly grow it as green manure to enrich soil, and it produces clusters of small flowers. It is not the same plant as Astragalus mongholicus, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

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  • Native to China, including Shanghai, Fujian, and Guangdong
  • Widely used as green manure in farming
  • Belongs to the pea family (Fabaceae)
  • Not the source of Radix Astragali for medicine

What does Chinese milk-vetch look like?

Chinese milk-vetch is a member of the pea family, with the typical look of a legume. It grows as a herbaceous plant, producing clusters of small flowers. The stems are slender and the leaves are divided into leaflets. The flowers are grouped together, but the sources do not specify their color or scent. It is often seen in fields where it is grown to improve the soil.

Where does Chinese milk-vetch come from?

This species is native to China, including regions such as Shanghai, Fujian, and Guangdong. It has long been used in Chinese agriculture. The plant belongs to the Astragalus genus, which includes many species. Chinese milk-vetch should not be confused with Astragalus mongholicus, which is used for medicinal purposes in China.

When and how Chinese milk-vetch blooms

Farmers sow Chinese milk-vetch in fields as a cover crop. It is grown mainly to be plowed back into the soil, where it adds nutrients and improves soil structure. The plant is easy to grow and adapts well to the local climate in its native regions. It is not grown for its flowers, but for its value in farming.

How Chinese milk-vetch is used

The main use of Chinese milk-vetch is as green manure in farming. After growing, it is turned into the soil to enrich it, helping future crops. It is not the source of Radix Astragali, which comes from a different species. There is no mention of its use in decoration or as a cut flower.

Kinds of Chinese milk-vetch

Astragalus sinicus is one species among many in the Astragalus genus. It is distinct from Astragalus mongholicus, which is important in Chinese medicine. The sources do not mention any named varieties or cultivars of Chinese milk-vetch.

What Chinese milk-vetch means

Chinese milk-vetch is valued in agriculture for its ability to improve soil. It is not noted as a symbol or emblem, and is not used in festivals or religious practice according to the sources. Its main importance is in farming, not in cultural or decorative traditions.

Questions people ask about Chinese milk-vetch

Where does Chinese milk-vetch come from?

Chinese milk-vetch is native to China, with its range including regions such as Shanghai, Fujian, and Guangdong.

What is Chinese milk-vetch used for?

It is mainly grown as green manure in farming. Farmers plow it into the soil to improve fertility and structure.

Is Chinese milk-vetch used in traditional Chinese medicine?

No, Chinese milk-vetch is not the plant used for Radix Astragali in Chinese medicine. That comes from Astragalus mongholicus.

What does Chinese milk-vetch look like?

It is a herbaceous plant in the pea family, with slender stems, divided leaves, and clusters of small flowers.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Astragalus sinicus", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

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The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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