Mule-Ears
Wyethia amplexicaulis
- Native to:
- United States
Whitney Brook Matson https://www.inaturalist.org/people/whitneybrook (www.inaturalist.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Wyethia
- Species:
- Wyethia amplexicaulis
- USDA Symbol:
- WYAM
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 80 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Oidaematophorus occidentalis
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Nevada bumble bee (Bombus nevadensis), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, bees
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from deep taproot after fire; common in fire-maintained sagebrush-steppe and mountain meadow communities.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds benefit from cold stratification and may germinate erratically over several weeks.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds require cold stratification for 90 or more days for optimal germination. Seeds from northern Nevada and California specifically require 4 weeks of cool, moist stratification.
Establishment: Seeds are collected in late July or early August when the inflorescence is dry and the seeds are dark brown in color. Seedheads are clipped from the plants and stored in paper bags at room temperature until cleaned. The plant is generally found in the Western US east to Montana and south to Colorado and Nevada.
Source: npn.rngr.net