Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Orobanchaceae

Genus:

Castilleja

Species:

Castilleja pallida var. yukonis

USDA Symbol:

CAYU

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Parasite

Height:

40 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug

Bloom Colors:

yellow, white, pale yellow

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, hummingbirds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from root crown following fire; often found in fire-maintained alpine and subarctic meadows.

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 alpine and subalpine regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Hemiparasitic; requires host plant roots for successful establishment. Seeds benefit from cold stratification and may germinate erratically.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI