Thurber's Cotton
Gossypium thurberi
Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Malvaceae
- Genus:
- Gossypium
- Species:
- Gossypium thurberi
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 6-8 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- aug, sep, oct
- Bloom Colors:
- White, Red, Yellow
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Native Range
United States: Arizona
Host Plant for Caterpillars
American plum borer (Euzophera semifuneralis), American sunflower moth (Homoeosoma electella), Beet Webworm (Loxostege sticticalis), black-shaded platynota (Platynota flavedana), black-tipped pyralid moth (Moodna ostrinella), Bucculatrix thurberiella, common gray (Anavitrinella pampinaria), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), Cosmet moth (Pyroderces rileyi), Cotton leafworm (Alabama argillacea), cotton tipworm (Crocidosema plebejana), Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Honeydew moth (Cryptoblabes gnidiella), lesser cornstalk borer (Elasmopalpus lignosellus), Omiodes Leafroller (Omiodes simialis), Pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella), Platyedra subcinerea, Pyroderces badia, Scodes deflecta, Splendid Royal Moth (Citheronia splendens), Thurberiphaga diffusa, Yellow scallop moth (Anomis erosa)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to arid regions, prefers dry conditions
Germination Information
Pre-treatment: Sandpaper scarification followed by a 24-hour warm water soak
Establishment: Seeds that were nicked with a scalpel showed high germination rates. Further germination trials are recommended. The plant is commonly found in Sonoran Desert uplands along rocky hillsides and foothills, washes and canyon bottoms up to 5,000 (rarely 7,000) feet in elevation.
Source: npn.rngr.net