Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Boraginaceae

Genus:

Amsinckia

Species:

Amsinckia tessellata

USDA Symbol:

AMTE3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

yellow, orange

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, native pollinators

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Post-fire annual that responds vigorously to disturbance. Seeds persist in soil seed bank and germinate readily after fire or other soil disturbance.

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:

Commonly found in arid and semi-arid environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

None required

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Annual that germinates readily in fall or early spring with adequate moisture. Seeds exhibit no dormancy.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI