Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Orobanchaceae

Genus:

Orthocarpus

Species:

Orthocarpus tenuifolius

USDA Symbol:

ORTE2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Annual

Growth Habit:

Parasite

Height:

40 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

As an annual in grassland and sagebrush communities, it recolonizes readily after fire from soil seed bank.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to dry, open habitats; often found in grasslands

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Hemiparasitic annual; benefits from host plant presence for successful establishment. Light may aid germination.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI