Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Xyridaceae

Genus:

Xyris

Species:

Xyris torta

USDA Symbol:

XYTO

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Forb/herb

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

jun,jul,aug,sep

Bloom Colors:

yellow

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

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

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from basal rosettes following fire; found in fire-maintained bogs and wet pine savannas.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Commonly found in wet, sandy areas such as bogs and marshes.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination; surface sow on moist acidic substrate.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI