Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Polygalaceae

Genus:

Rhinotropis

Species:

Rhinotropis subspinosa

USDA Symbol:

POSU2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Subshrub

Height:

30 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

pink, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from woody base after fire; found in fire-prone shrublands of the Southwest.

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 arid regions, prefers open, sunny areas

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seed coat is hard; scarification followed by cold stratification improves germination.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI