Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Carthamus

Species:

Carthamus tenuis subsp. gracillimus

Growth Characteristics

Height:

60 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees, butterflies

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Annual thistle that colonizes post-fire areas and disturbed ground, benefiting from reduced competition and bare soil created by fire.

Source: Claude claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 Batch

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily with consistent moisture and warm temperatures, similar to cultivated safflower relatives.

Source: Claude claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929 Batch