A low-growing weak-stemmed perennial up to 1 foot tall, that reproduces from seed or underground tubers. The plants has bipinnately compound subbasal leaves are 5 to 10 inches long, arranged as odd-bipinnate or pinnate with 2 to 6 pairs plus 1; leaflets 6 to 11 pairs. Leaflets are oblong from 1/8 to ¼ inch long and with glandular dots. Flowers are pea-like, yellow or red-orange, about ½ inch long. Pods are about 1 ½ inches long containing dark reddish-brown seeds. Seeds are smooth, and egg-shaped, up to 1/8 inch long.

Hogpotato is a native week of the Southwest and is found in large colonies growing in alkaline soil along roadsides and ditchbanks.