Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Polygonaceae

Genus:

Eriogonum

Species:

Eriogonum shockleyi

USDA Symbol:

ERSH

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

15 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

white, cream, yellow

Ground Cover:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:

★★★★☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from woody caudex after fire; found in fire-prone sagebrush and pinyon-juniper communities.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

adapted to arid desert conditions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds may have erratic germination; cold stratification improves rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI