Lemmon's Keckiella
Keckiella lemmonii
- Native to:
- United States
(c) Mary K. Hanson, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Genus:
- Keckiella
- Species:
- Keckiella lemmonii
- USDA Symbol:
- KELE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Subshrub
- Height:
- 100 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Variable checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, hummingbirds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from woody base after fire; common in chaparral and foothill woodland fire regimes.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, 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 rocky slopes and chaparral areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are soaked in a solution of 250 mg/L GA3 for 24 hours, rinsed, and soaked for an additional 4 hours in water. Seeds are sown into trays filled with stabilized medium plugs (Q-plugs). Trays are sealed inside plastic bags and refrigerated at 1 to 3 °C for 60 days. Trays are checked weekly and kept moist. If mold is evident, trays are treated with 1% hydrogen peroxide.
Establishment: Germination is not uniform and depends on the quality of the seeds. The plant is native to Oregon and northern California, and its range may extend just into Nevada in the High Sierra.
Source: npn.rngr.net