Thin-leaved Owl Clover
Orthocarpus tenuifolius
zones 3-5
50 seeds
Orthocarpus tenuifolius was collected on July 1 or 2, 1806 near Traveler’s Rest in present-day Missoula County during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. This member of the figwort family is an erect annual plant from 4 to 12 inches in height. Thin-leaf Owl Clover may have a single stem or be branched with several stalks. The narrow leaves have short hairs and are alternate on the stem; the upper leaves are cleft. Conspicuous pink-yellow bracts partly hide the small, yellow flowers that are interspersed among the bracts. This combination of vibrant colors is attractive to pollinating insects and birds. At first glance, owl clover species resemble Indian Paint Brushes.
Thin-leaf Owl Clover, along with many other members of the figwort family such as Indian Paintbrush and Lousewort, is a root hemiparasite. While it is capable of creating its own food through photosynthesis, if the first roots emerging from a germinating Owl Clover seed find themselves near roots of a neighboring plant of a different species, it will develop specialized roots that grow into the inner tissues of the host plant’s roots. By doing so, it obtains water, minerals and energy from the host plant and ultimately improves its growth rate.
Seeds should be planted into the soil in early fall and scratched into the soil of the selected growing area. Stored seeds should be mixed with loam and kept refrigerated, then planted in late February in a growing tray that is kept moist in a semi-warm environment (such as a garage or unheated greenhouse. They should sprout in early to mid-March. Plant them out in their permanent growing area when they are about 2 inches tall.
Orthocarpus tenuifolius
zones 3-5
50 seeds
Orthocarpus tenuifolius was collected on July 1 or 2, 1806 near Traveler’s Rest in present-day Missoula County during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. This member of the figwort family is an erect annual plant from 4 to 12 inches in height. Thin-leaf Owl Clover may have a single stem or be branched with several stalks. The narrow leaves have short hairs and are alternate on the stem; the upper leaves are cleft. Conspicuous pink-yellow bracts partly hide the small, yellow flowers that are interspersed among the bracts. This combination of vibrant colors is attractive to pollinating insects and birds. At first glance, owl clover species resemble Indian Paint Brushes.
Thin-leaf Owl Clover, along with many other members of the figwort family such as Indian Paintbrush and Lousewort, is a root hemiparasite. While it is capable of creating its own food through photosynthesis, if the first roots emerging from a germinating Owl Clover seed find themselves near roots of a neighboring plant of a different species, it will develop specialized roots that grow into the inner tissues of the host plant’s roots. By doing so, it obtains water, minerals and energy from the host plant and ultimately improves its growth rate.
Seeds should be planted into the soil in early fall and scratched into the soil of the selected growing area. Stored seeds should be mixed with loam and kept refrigerated, then planted in late February in a growing tray that is kept moist in a semi-warm environment (such as a garage or unheated greenhouse. They should sprout in early to mid-March. Plant them out in their permanent growing area when they are about 2 inches tall.
Orthocarpus tenuifolius
zones 3-5
50 seeds
Orthocarpus tenuifolius was collected on July 1 or 2, 1806 near Traveler’s Rest in present-day Missoula County during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. This member of the figwort family is an erect annual plant from 4 to 12 inches in height. Thin-leaf Owl Clover may have a single stem or be branched with several stalks. The narrow leaves have short hairs and are alternate on the stem; the upper leaves are cleft. Conspicuous pink-yellow bracts partly hide the small, yellow flowers that are interspersed among the bracts. This combination of vibrant colors is attractive to pollinating insects and birds. At first glance, owl clover species resemble Indian Paint Brushes.
Thin-leaf Owl Clover, along with many other members of the figwort family such as Indian Paintbrush and Lousewort, is a root hemiparasite. While it is capable of creating its own food through photosynthesis, if the first roots emerging from a germinating Owl Clover seed find themselves near roots of a neighboring plant of a different species, it will develop specialized roots that grow into the inner tissues of the host plant’s roots. By doing so, it obtains water, minerals and energy from the host plant and ultimately improves its growth rate.
Seeds should be planted into the soil in early fall and scratched into the soil of the selected growing area. Stored seeds should be mixed with loam and kept refrigerated, then planted in late February in a growing tray that is kept moist in a semi-warm environment (such as a garage or unheated greenhouse. They should sprout in early to mid-March. Plant them out in their permanent growing area when they are about 2 inches tall.