Western Leatherwood

Dirca occidentalis

Western Leatherwood

Franco Folini from San Francisco, USA

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Thymelaeaceae
Genus:
Dirca
Species:
Dirca occidentalis

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Shrub
Height:
8-12 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade, Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
jan, feb, mar, nov, dec
Bloom Colors:
Yellow
Landscaping Shrub:
Yes

Native Range

United States: California

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 shaded areas in riparian zones

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o