Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asparagaceae

Genus:

Androstephium

Species:

Androstephium coeruleum

USDA Symbol:

ANCO9

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

25 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

blue, violet, lavender

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, small pollinators

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Geophyte that resprouts from underground bulbs after fire; tolerates periodic grassland burns typical of its native prairie habitat.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, low fertility soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers open, sunny locations

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Spring-germinating bulb; seeds benefit from cold stratification and moderate moisture during germination period.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI