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Heermann's Tarweed

Holocarpha heermannii

annual View on Calscape

Care

Sun

full sun

Size

0–4ft tall

Deer

Resistant

Container

Friendly

Flowers

Prized

Native Range

Coastal grassland and scrub of the San Francisco Bay Area, endemic to Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, below 1500 ft elevation

Care Guide

Planting

Plant Heermann's Tarweed in full sun - it's a native annual that thrives in the sunny conditions of the Bay Area foothills where it naturally grows. Since this is an annual herb, you can sow seeds or plant seedlings in spring to allow them to establish before the growing season. Space plants about 12 inches apart to give them room to spread into their natural erect form, which can reach up to 4 feet tall.

After Planting

As an annual, Heermann's Tarweed will complete its lifecycle in a single growing season, so expect it to bloom and set seed before declining in fall or early winter. Water newly planted seedlings to help them establish, then transition to the drier conditions this native plant prefers - it evolved in California's dry hills and valleys, so avoid overwatering once established. The plant is deer resistant, so you won't need protection from browsing, and its sticky, resinous flower heads require no deadheading or special pruning unless you want to control its size.

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