Bristly Oxtongue
Helminthotheca echioides
- Native to:
- Albania, Algeria, Azores, Baleares, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Cape Verde, Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Egypt, France, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Morocco, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Turkmenistan
Brocken Inaglory (sites.google.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Helminthotheca
- Species:
- Helminthotheca echioides
- USDA Symbol:
- PIEC
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Anthophora urbana, Pyrobombus Dalla, ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Butterflies:Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Lon melane, ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Mylitta crescent (Phyciodes mylitta), Small White (Pieris rapae), West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella), Western Pygmy Blue (Brephidium exilis), Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- often found in disturbed areas and roadsides
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment; light may improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI