Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Elephantopus

Species:

Elephantopus carolinianus

USDA Symbol:

ELCA3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

90 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

jul,aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

white, lavender, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

butterflies, bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rootstock following fire; commonly found in fire-maintained open woodlands and disturbed areas.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers open, sunny areas in native range

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–30 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily after cold stratification. Light may improve germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI