Rush Peteria
Peteria scoparia
Patrick Alexander (www.flickr.com) from Las Cruces, NM






Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Peteria
- Species:
- Peteria scoparia
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Native Range
Mexico, United States
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire; typical of desert scrub and grassland legumes.
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:
- native to arid desert regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Scarification of hard seed coat recommended before cold stratification. Legume seeds may have variable dormancy.
Propagation data sourced from Claude AI