|
Anemopsis californica (Yerba Mansa) - A California native rhizomatous perennial with large basal leaves that grow to 1 foot tall. From spring to fall appear the cone shaped flowers that are subtended by white bracts.
Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist areas or even in saturated soil. Once established it can run about in the garden in moist soils. It is cold hardy to 15-20 degrees F. Can look a little funky in winter so that is a good time to trim or even mow it back or plant it with other plants that hide it a bit during this period. A wonderful spreading groundcover in wet or perennially moist soils – a great plant for the "rain garden". It reportedly thrives in gardens in the hot and humid Southeast US as evidenced by successful long lived plantings at Plant Delights Juniper Level Botanic Garden.
Anemopsis californica is native to northwest Mexico and southwestern United States from California to Texas and north in the plain states to Oregon. The name for the genus comes from the Latin combination of 'Anem' from "Anemone" and 'opsis' meaning "like" or "resembling" from this plant's resemblance to an anemone. The common name Yerba Mansa means "calming herb" in Spanish and this plant is also sometimes called lizard tail. Its bark and roots were widely used medicinally by native Americans to treat coughs and many other disorders and also as as a disinfectant and pain killer. It is classified as a paleo herb, one of a small group of flowering plants which have traditionally been classified as dicots, but which evolved very early and has many characters in common with monocots.
We sold this plant from 2001 until 2009 as part of our Aquatic Plants Program and got
Information displayed on this page about Anemopsis californica is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
|
