Boraginaceae : Lithospermum canescens
Family Name
Boraginaceae
Common Name
Hoary puccoon
Native American Name
Lakota: pȟežúta wahesa
Description
Lithospermum canescens in a perennial herb from vertical taproot with erect stems, 12-35 cm tall, simple or branched above. The leaves are cauline, often ascending, lanceolate to elliptic, the tips obtuse, 20-55 mm long and 4-11 mm wide, covered with soft grayish white hairs. The inflorescence consists of cymes at the branch tips. The flowers have green sepals 4-17 mm long and a yellow to yellow-orange funnel-shaped corolla 7-18 mm long, 7–14 mm wide at the top, the lobes with entire edges. The fruit are smooth and shiny nutlets 3–4 mm long. Hoary puccoon blooms from April to June on dry prairies and open woods in eastern and southern South Dakota.
Horticulture Notes
Seed Collection: Collect seed in June-July
Germination: Fall planting generally most successful, or soak seeds overnight in hot water before planting in spring. Germination of seeds can be difficult.
Soils: Sandy, clay, or loamy soils.
Light: Full sun
Water: Dry
Additional Notes
Hoary puccoon is small, but colorful addition to a rock garden or along a border where it can be seen.