Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Orobanchaceae

Genus:

Macranthera

Species:

Macranthera flammea

USDA Symbol:

MAFL4

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Biennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

200 cm

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

yellow, orange, red

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

hummingbirds, bees

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Found in fire-maintained pine savannas and flatwoods; benefits from periodic fire that reduces competition and maintains open habitat.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

prefers organic matter-rich environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Hemiparasitic; benefits from presence of host plant roots.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI