St. Francis Cabbage 🛑 Endangered

Streptanthus californicus

Native to:
United States

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Brassicaceae
Genus:
Streptanthus
Species:
Streptanthus californicus
USDA Symbol:
STCA23

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Annual
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
100 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
apr,may,jun
Bloom Colors:
purple, white

Wildlife Benefits

Butterflies & Moths:
★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
butterflies
Deer Resistant:
Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
native to serpentine soils

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
Germination Time:
14–30 days
Notes:
Seeds benefit from cold stratification. May germinate erratically.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI

Pre-treatment: Seed coat lightly nicked with a razor blade and then soaked in a 400-ppm gibberellic acid solution for 15 hours. Seeds then sown on agar plates and placed in the refrigerator for cold stratification.

Source: npn.rngr.net