Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Brassicaceae

Genus:

Descurainia

Species:

Descurainia californica

USDA Symbol:

DECA6

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual | Biennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

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

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Colonizes disturbed and burned areas; seeds may benefit from fire-cleared soil.

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:

common in arid, open areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

7–21 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate readily in cool conditions. Light may enhance germination.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI