California Brickellbush
Brickellia californica
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States
Unknown author Unknown author
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Brickellia
- Species:
- Brickellia californica
- USDA Symbol:
- BRCA3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- aug,sep,oct,nov
- Bloom Colors:
- white, cream
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Schinia buta, Schinia oleagina
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- butterflies, bees, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire; common in chaparral and coastal sage scrub fire regimes.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment; surface sow as seeds may need light.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: None required
Establishment: Seeds for propagation are collected from ripe fruits from mid-summer to early fall. The plant is native to diverse dry habitats below 2,700 m in California, Idaho, Colorado, Texas, and northern Mexico.
Source: npn.rngr.net