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Bee Plant
Scrophularia californica
  
About Bee Plant (Scrophularia californica) 56 Nurseries Carry This Plant California bee plant (Scrophularia californica) is a perennial in the Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). The flowers are red to maroon and are so small that they are easy to miss. The wedge -shaped light green leaves are much larger than the flowers.

As the name suggests, bees are extremely attracted to the flowers. An important food source for small wasps and hummingbirds, it is also a host plant for the Chalcedon Checkerspot and Common Buckeye butterflies.

Bee plant grows in several habitats, including Wetland-Riparian, Coastal Sage Scrub, Pine Forests, Chaparral, and Redwood Forest. In moist soils it will form large colonies, but it can also successfully be grown in a pot.

Plant bee plant in the back of a perennial border where the tall stems won't block out shorter perennials, and where it can blend in when not in flower. Bee Plant flowers look like small, red jewels when backlit by the sun.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Perennial herb

Size
Size
2 - 4 ft tall
1 - 3 ft wide

Form
Form
Upright

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Fast

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen

Fragrance
Fragrance
Slight

Flower Color
Flower Color
Red

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Winter, Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Its nectar attracts bees, hummingbirds, and a species of small wasp. It is a host plant for the larvae of the Common Buckeye butterfly.

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 7 confirmed , 5 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Part Shade

Moisture
Moisture
Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 2x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 20F° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast, Medium

Soil Description
Soil Description
Adaptable to garden soils. Soil PH: 5.2 - 8.2

Common uses
Common uses
Deer Resistant, Hummingbird Gardens, Bird Gardens, Butterfly Gardens, Bee Gardens

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
4*, 5*, 6*, 7, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Slope bottoms, north facing slopes, slightly moister places that receive 11-85 inches of rain per year.

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 4.4" - 71.8", Summer Precipitation: 0.14" - 4.20", Coldest Month: 21.1" - 56.4", Hottest Month: 46.0" - 83.5", Humidity: 0.01" - 34.47", Elevation: -40" - 10537"

Alternative Names
Common Names: California Bee Plant, California Figwort


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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