Tornillo
Strombocarpa reptans
- Native to:
- Argentina, Peru, United States
(c) johnyochum, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Genus:
- Strombocarpa
- Species:
- Strombocarpa reptans
- USDA Symbol:
- PRRE2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Subshrub , Vine
- Height:
- 30 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Tailed Orange (Eurema proterpia)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from roots following fire; adapted to fire-prone desert grassland and scrubland habitats.
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
- Notes:
- native to arid regions, prefers open, sunny areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 7–30 days
- Notes:
- Hard seed coat requires scarification; hot water treatment or mechanical scarification improves germination rates significantly.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI