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