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Fivespot
( Nemophila maculata )
Nemophila maculata
More Photos at CalPhotos
More Info at Jepson eFlora
Calflora
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About Fivespot (Nemophila maculata)
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Named for the five purple spots that adorn each flower petal tip, Fivespot (
Nemophila maculata
) is a cute and cheerful annual that's native to California's Sierra foothills. Fivespot is a member of the Borage family. It is related to Baby Blue Eyes (
Nemophila menziesii
), another popular native annual. But it is not related to Desert Fivespot (
Eremalche rotundifolia
).
Fivespot's appealing white and purple flowers bloom in early spring and attract bees, butterflies, and other insects. Fivespot is a low, compact plant, making it a good choice for containers and small beds. It likes sun or partial shade and does best in loose, nutrient-rich garden soil. Since it is native to cooler regions of California, it tolerates cold temperatures but needs afternoon shade and supplemental moisture in hot, dry climates. Fivespot seeds are often included in wildflower seed mixes and the plant will self-sow in the garden.
Calscape, Bornstein, C., Fross, D., O’Brien, B. (2005). California Native Plants for the Garden. Cachuma Press “Nemophila Maculata - Plant Finder.” Www.missouribotanicalgarden.org, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=281060&isprofile=0&. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Annual herb
Size
0.5 - 1 ft tall
1 ft wide
Form
Spreading
Growth Rate
Fast
Flower Color
White, Blue, Purple
Flowering Season
Spring, Winter
Wildlife Supported
Numerous insects are attracted to the flowers, including bees and butterflies
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 4
likely
* )
SHOW ALL
*
Funereal Duskywing
Erynnis funeralis
Erynnis funeralis
*
Alfalfa Looper Moth
Autographa californica
Autographa californica
*
Viridiseptis marina
Viridiseptis marina
*
Annaphila depicta
Annaphila depicta
Landscaping Information
Sun
Full Sun, Part Shade, Full Shade
Moisture
Low
Summer Irrigation
Max 2x / month once established
Nurseries
Carried by 25
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 0° F
Soil Drainage
Fast, Medium
Soil Description
Prefers sand but tolerates garden soil. Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.5
Common uses
Bee Gardens
Companion Plants
This species works very well with other annual or herbaceous perennial wildflowers in a meadow garden, including the closely related
Baby Blue Eyes
(
Nemophila menziesii
),
California Poppy
(
Eschscholzia californica
),
Clarkia sp.
,
Chinese Houses
(
Collinsia heterophylla
),
Gilia sp.
,
Lupinus sp.
,
Penstemon sp.
,
Phacelia sp.
, and many others. Also works well with geophytes such as
Brodiaea sp.
,
Mariposa Lily
(
Calochortus sp.
) and
Dichelostemma sp.
, as well as various catcus and succulent species such as
Dudleya sp.
Propagation
?
For propagating by seed: No treatment may give satisfactory results. For more uniform germination, stratify for 2 mos. or germinate at cool temperatures (less than 70°F) and in darkness for first 3 days (Cruden 1974).
Sunset Zones
?
1, 2, 3, 4*, 5*, 6*, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24
Natural Setting
Site Type
Meadows, roadbanks, grasslands, and openings in forest or woodlans
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 6.7" - 63.5", Summer Precipitation: 0.17" - 2.06", Coldest Month: 23.9" - 51.3", Hottest Month: 46.2" - 77.2", Humidity: 1.49" - 25.44", Elevation: 23" - 10141"
Alternative Names
Common Names
: Five-spot
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Fivespot
Nemophila maculata
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
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