Desert Wirelettuce
Stephanomeria runcinata
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Andrey Zharkikh (www.flickr.com) from Salt Lake City, USA






Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Stephanomeria
- Species:
- Stephanomeria runcinata
- USDA Symbol:
- STRU3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pink, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- 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
Cucullia basipuncta
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from deep taproot following fire; common in post-fire sagebrush and desert scrub communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- adapted to arid and semi-arid regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI