Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Psorothamnus

Species:

Psorothamnus scoparius

USDA Symbol:

PSSC6

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Subshrub

Height:

150 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

purple, violet

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★★☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from root crown following fire; adapted to periodic desert fires.

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 required; may benefit from hot water treatment or mechanical abrasion before cold stratification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI