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Lithospermum canescens
Lithospermum canescens (Michx.) Lehm.
Hoary Puccoon
Boraginaceae (Borage Family)
Synonym(s): Batschia canescens
USDA Symbol: lica12
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Hoary Puccoon’s clumps of leafy stems grow 6-18 in. tall. A hairy, grayish plant with terminal clusters of yellow-orange, tubular flowers; leaves and stems covered with fine soft hairs, giving plant a hoary look. The leaves are bright green, small and narrow, and, like the stems, are covered with silky hairs. Bright, yellow-orange flowers form dense clusters at the tips of the stems. The flowers are tubular and five-lobed.
Puccoon is an Algonquian word for a number of plants that yield dyes. Among the other species in the East, Hairy Puccoon (L. caroliniense) has harsher, longer hairs; Corn Gromwell (L. arvense), originally European but now found throughout the United States, is an annual with inconspicuous white flowers among its upper leaf axils.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Fruit Type: Schizocarp
Size Notes: Up to about 18 inches tall.
Fruit: Nutlets.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Orange , YellowBloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , DC , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NE , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , WI , WVCanada: MB , ON , SK
Native Distribution: NJ to Sask., s. to n.c. NC & TX
Native Habitat: Dry to mesic, rich prairies & open woods
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , ShadeSoil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Dry to moderately moist, well-drained soils.
Conditions Comments: This Lithospermum species is usually not found in sands.
Benefit
Conspicuous Flowers: yesFrom the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE
Bibliography
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, SallyBibref 1294 - The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona ChapterAdditional resources
USDA: Find Lithospermum canescens in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Lithospermum canescens in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Lithospermum canescens
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-02-16Research By: TWC Staff