Practical
Plants

Astragalus boeticus

Swedish Coffee

an annual member of the Astragalus genus in the family Leguminosae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
0.6 m
Fertility
Bees, Lepidoptera
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Lepidoptera

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Many members of this genus contain toxic glycosides[9]. All species with edible seedpods can be distinguished by their fleshy round or oval seedpod that looks somewhat like a greengage.[10] A number of species can also accumulate toxic levels of selenium when grown in soils that are relatively rich in that element[9].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young seedpods are edible[3]. The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute[1][8][4].

Product or use
Coffee
Plant part
Seedpod

Ecology and functions

Nitrogen fixer

Environment

Range
S.W. Europe - Spain.
Habitat
Sandy places and arable fields[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
low
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[5]. A period of cold stratification may help stored seed to germinate[5]. Stored seed, and perhaps also fresh seed, should be pre-soaked for 24 hours in hot water before sowing - but make sure that you do not cook the seed[2][5]. Any seed that does not swell should be carefully pricked with a needle, taking care not to damage the embryo, and re-soaked for a further 24 hours[2][5]. Germination can be slow and erratic but is usually within 4 - 9 weeks or more at 13°c if the seed is treated or sown fresh[2]. As soon as it is large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter, planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a dry well-drained soil in a sunny position[1]. This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10°c[5]. Cultivated in some parts of N. Europe for its seed which is used as a coffee substitute[7][4]. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance and are best planted in their final positions whilst still small[5]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[5]. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen. Many members of this genus can be difficult to grow, this may partly be due to a lack of their specific bacterial associations in the soil[5].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8

  6. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  7. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  8. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩

  9. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

    ↩1↩2

  10. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

    ↩

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