Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Stephanomeria

Species:

Stephanomeria exigua subsp. exigua

USDA Symbol:

STSC5

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual | Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

100 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

white, pink, lavender

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown after fire; often increases in abundance following disturbance in chaparral and desert scrub communities.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

typically found in arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment. Best sown in fall for natural cold exposure.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI