Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Machaeranthera

Species:

Machaeranthera tanacetifolia

USDA Symbol:

MATA2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual | Biennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

purple, lavender, blue, violet

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Reseeds prolifically after fire disturbance; annual or short-lived perennial that colonizes disturbed areas.

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:

thrives in arid and semi-arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

10–21 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily after cold stratification; light may improve germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI