California Brittlebush
Encelia californica
No machine-readable author provided. Curtis Clark assumed (based on copyright claims).
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Encelia
- Species:
- Encelia californica
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub
- Height:
- 4-6 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- feb, mar, apr, may, jun
- Bloom Colors:
- Yellow
- Evergreen Shrub:
- Yes
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: California
Keystone Species Ranking
- Bee Keystone:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Carolella busckana, dwarf tawny wave (Cyclophora nanaria), Fatal Metalmark (Calephelis nemesis)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Crotch bumble bee (Bombus crotchii), Crotch bumble bee (Bombus crotchii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Single-step cold-moist stratification for temperate woodland species. for 60–120 days
Source: OpenAI GPT-4o