American Saw-Wort

Saussurea americana

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Saussurea
Species:
Saussurea americana

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
4-6 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
jul, aug
Bloom Colors:
White, Purple, Violet

Native Range

United States: Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis), Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
native to alpine and subalpine regions

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o