Hayfield Tarweed
Hemizonia congesta
- Native to:
- United States
John Rusk (www.flickr.com) from Berkeley, CA, United States of America
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Hemizonia
- Species:
- Hemizonia congesta
- USDA Symbol:
- HECO7
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct,nov
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Spotted Straw Moth (Heliothis phloxiphaga)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Moths:Heliothodes diminutiva Butterflies:Woodland Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanoides)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, native pollinators
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown after fire; adapted to California's fire-prone grassland and coastal scrub ecosystems.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to dry, open grasslands and chaparral
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment; fall sowing or cool-season germination preferred.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI