Spring Lessingia
Lessingia tenuis
Care
0–0ft tall
Friendly
Prized
Coastal scrub and grassland of the central coast from Santa Cruz County to Santa Barbara County, below 1500 ft elevation
Care Guide
Planting
Plant Spring Lessingia in spring, choosing a location that mimics its native California Coast Ranges habitat - well-draining soil is essential since this species naturally grows on chaparral slopes. This is an annual herb, so plan to replant each year rather than expect it to return.
After Planting
As an annual, Spring Lessingia completes its life cycle in a single growing season and will not require ongoing maintenance beyond that first year. Let the plant self-seed if you want it to naturalize in your garden, or remove it once flowering is finished and replant fresh stock the following spring.
Endangered & Threatened Species Supported
California endemic kangaroo rat
San Joaquin pocket mouse listed as Threatened; Species of Special Concern
Wildlife Supported
Mammals
Year-round seed cache and consumption in interior valley scrubland
Fall seed harvest and storage for overwintering
Late season seed foraging in grassland-scrub ecotone
Birds
Post-breeding seed consumption in desert and semi-arid scrub habitats
Fall and winter seed foraging in scrubland habitats where Lessingia occurs
Insects
Summer nectar and pollen collection during bloom
Migratory species utilizing late summer blooms as migration fuel
Summer foraging during annual blooming period