California Lomatium
Lomatium californicum
Care
part shade
very low
4–4ft tall
Mar-May
Deciduous
Friendly
Seeds ground into flour; roots cooked; traditional Indigenous food
Grasslands and oak woodlands of the Sierra Nevada foothills and Inner Coast Ranges from Shasta County to Kern County, below 3000 ft elevation.
Care Guide
Planting
Plant California Lomatium in partial shade - it tolerates deep shade but will flower best with some light. While soil type isn't specified in available data, choose a location with good drainage since this is a low-water native plant. Space according to mature height of 4 feet and plant in fall or early spring to establish before summer.
After Planting
Water weekly during your first summer to help the plant establish, then drastically cut back as it matures - this plant thrives on very low water and needs almost no supplemental watering once established. Expect it to go dormant in summer after flowering (March-May), which is completely normal; don't panic when it dies back. The biggest mistake Bay Area gardeners make is overwatering this drought-adapted native, which leads to root rot.
Visit Calscape for more information about California Lomatium
Wildlife Supported
Insects
larvae feed on Apiaceae family plants including Lomatium species; multiple generations April-September
larvae mine Lomatium leaves; extended feeding period through growing season
larvae consume Lomatium foliage and seeds; lifecycle synchronized with plant phenology