Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Balduina

Species:

Balduina atropurpurea

USDA Symbol:

BAAT

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

90 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug,sep

Bloom Colors:

yellow, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★☆☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Thrives in fire-maintained pine savannas and responds positively to prescribed burning, which reduces woody competition.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers open, sunny habitats like pine savannas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Surface sow and maintain consistent moisture.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI