Chinese Ephedra
Ephedra sinica
- Native to:
- China, Russia
alexlomas on Flickr (www.flickr.com),Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz,Omar hoftun,Rudolphous,DMTrott,Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz,Hanabishi,HaziiDozen,Mustafa alinia,עוזי פז,Frank Vincentz,No machine-readable author provided. KasugaHuang assumed (based on copyright claims).
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Gnetophyta | - Mormon tea and other gnetophytes
- Family:
- Ephedraceae
- Genus:
- Ephedra
- Species:
- Ephedra sinica
- USDA Symbol:
- EPSI3
Growth Characteristics
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from woody base after fire or damage; adapted to arid steppe environments with occasional fire.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to arid, rocky regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best at warm temperatures (20-25°C) after cold stratification. Light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI