prairie wildflower
Narrowleaf mule-ears
Wyethia angustifolia
Native to California, Oregon, and Washington
California west of the mountains from Tulare and San Luis Obispo counties, north to Washington
- Light Full sun Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moisture preference
- Zones n/a Cold to heat range
- Bloom Apr–Jul Flowering time
- Height up to 2 ft to 0.6 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A prairie wildflower for full sun. At up to 2 ft, it suits meadows and sunny borders.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Yellow-faced Bumble Bee
also Ligated Furrow Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee, Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee +16 more
Bombus fervidus, Red-belted Bumble Bee, Two-form Bumble Bee, Orange-legged Furrow Bee, Tripartite Sweat Bee, California Bumble Bee, Nevada Bumble Bee, Great Basin Bumble Bee, Yellowish Cuckoo Bumble bee, Indiscriminate Cuckoo Bumble Bee, Wide-striped Sweat Bee, White-shouldered Bumble Bee, California Mason Bee, Titus's Sweat Bee, Raspberry Mason Bee, Bombus melanopygus edwardsii - Butterflies Painted Lady
also Gray Buckeye, Variable Checkerspot, Northern Checkerspot +2 more
Propertius Duskywing, Chlosyne palla whitneyi - Beetles Spotted Cucumber Beetle
- Also visited by
- Moths: Mottled Pyrausta Moth
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Common buckeyenectar
- Coral hairstreaknectar
- Edwards' hairstreaknectar
- Painted ladynectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- California, Oregon, and WashingtonUnited States (3): CA, OR, WA. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- California west of the mountains from Tulare and San Luis Obispo counties, north to WashingtonThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sunHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Soil
- Variable with occasional summer moistureThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- Mildly acid to mildly alkalineThe acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 2 ft (to 0.6 m)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Apr–JulWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- YellowThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.