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California Bush Sunflower – Encelia californica (en-SEEL-ee-uh cal-i-FOR-ni-cuh)
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)
Native to: Central CA to Baja; Coastal Strand, Coastal Sage Scrub & Chaparral, coastal slopes, bluffs
Growth characteristics: woody sub-shrub mature height: 2-5 ft mature width: 2-6 ft
Drought-deciduous woody shrub with many stems emerging from a single base. Simple leaves. Short- lived – perhaps 10 years in garden, probably longer with less water.
Blooms: Dec-June; Many yellow “sun-flower” blooms on slender stalks. Many insect pollinators including
bees, butterflies, even beetles. Flower has a wine-like fragrance when sniffed.
Uses in the garden: good for covering/stabilizing slopes. Excellent for restoring degraded areas. Can be
used as informal hedge. Fills in quickly, so good paired with longer-lived shrubs such as Ceanothus. Attractive flowers over long period. Good insect/bird plant. Leaves, stems were used for medicinal and
ceremonial purposes by Native Californians.
Sensible substitute for: non-native bush sunflowers.
Attracts: bees and butterflies; Goldfinches and other seed-eating birds love the seeds. For best habitat
value, leave spent flowers on the plant.
Requirements:
Element Requirement
Sun Full or part-sun
Soil Any well-drained; any pH
Water Occasional once established; very drought-tolerant, but will loose leaves in drought.
Tolerates some summer water
Fertilizer None needed
Other Tolerates seaside conditions (salty air and soil)
Management: cut back to 1 ft in fall or early winter. May be severely pruned (to base) for fullness. For
better appearance, deadhead (remove dead flowers) regularly. Reseeds on bare ground.
Propagation: from seed: in spring - barely cover and keep moist by cuttings: easy from dormant
hardwood cuttings in fall/early winter.
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 1-3, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 16, 19-21, 24, 25, 28 11/28/10
© Project SOUND
Encelia californica California bush sunflower/encelia