Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Helianthus

Species:

Helianthus californicus

USDA Symbol:

HECA5

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

300 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

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

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds, small mammals

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes after fire. Common in fire-prone California grasslands and chaparral edges.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

thrives in riparian zones and wetlands

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily in spring after cold stratification. Light may enhance germination.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI