Wild Job's Tears

Lithospermum virginianum

Wild Job's Tears

Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 3: 90. Courtesy of Kentucky Native Plant Society. Scanned by Omnitek Inc.

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Boraginaceae
Genus:
Lithospermum
Species:
Lithospermum virginianum

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
2-3 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
apr, may, jun, jul, aug, sep
Bloom Colors:
Orange, Yellow

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Leconte's haploa (Haploa lecontei)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate

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