Telegraph Weed, Heterotheca grandiflora

About Telegraph Weed (Heterotheca grandiflora) 4 Nurseries Carry This Plant

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Heterotheca grandiflora is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family known by the common name Telegraph Weed. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, but it can be found in other areas as an introduced species, such as Hawaii. In California it is widespread from Butte County southward. It is a pioneer species and roadside weed even where it is native. This is a tall, bristly, hairy plant exceeding a meter in height and densely foliated in hairy to spiny toothed or lobed leaves. Leaves are smaller and more widely spaced toward the top of the stem, which is occupied by an flower cluster of bright yellow daisylike flower heads. The disc and ray florets drop away to leave a spherical head of achenes, each with a long white pappus. This plant is rarely used in the garden but is a useful for restoration projects.

Plant Description

Plant Type

Perennial herb, Annual herb

Size

2.5 - 3.5 ft tall
1.5 ft wide

Form

Upright

Growth Rate

Fast

Dormancy

Summer Deciduous

Flower Color

Yellow

Flowering Season

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Wildlife Supported

Insects are attracted to the flowers, especially bees and butterflies
Bee gardens

Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 confirmed

, 11 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Gabb's Checkerspot Chlosyne gabbiiChlosyne gabbii

Bordered Patch Chlosyne laciniaChlosyne lacinia

White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineataHyles lineata

Virginian Tiger Moth Spilosoma virginicaSpilosoma virginica

Common Eupithacia Eupithecia miserulataEupithecia miserulata

Southern Emerald Synchlora frondariaSynchlora frondaria

Tobacco Budworm Moth Chloridea virescensChloridea virescens

Landscaping Information

Sun

Full Sun

Moisture

Very Low

Summer Irrigation

Never irrigate once established

Nurseries

Carried by 4

Cold Tolerance

Tolerates cold to 15° F

Soil Drainage

Fast, Medium, Slow

Soil Description

Not particular as to soil. Soil PH: 5.1 - 8.2

Common uses

Bee Gardens

Companion Plants

Can be used with virtually any native plants

Sunset Zones?

7, 8, 9*, 10, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*

Natural Setting

Site Type

Disturbed places, dry streams, dunes

Climate

Annual Precipitation: 3.2" - 72.4", Summer Precipitation: 0.15" - 2.73", Coldest Month: 39.7" - 59.2", Hottest Month: 59.8" - 88.4", Humidity: 0.47" - 39.11", Elevation: -36" - 6112"

Alternative Names

Common Names: Telegraphweed

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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links: Jepson eFlora Taxon Page CalPhotos Wikipedia Calflora

Telegraph Weed

Heterotheca grandiflora

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Telegraph WeedHeterotheca grandiflora

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Telegraph Weed

Heterotheca grandiflora