prairie wildflower
Tidy tips
Layia platyglossa
Also known as Coastal Tidytips
1 of 2Native to California
Bay Region of California, south to southern California
- Light Full sun Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry Moisture preference
- Zones n/a Cold to heat range
- Bloom Mar–May Flowering time
- Height
- Life cycle Annual Annual to perennial
In the garden
A prairie wildflower for full sun and lean, dry soil. Its yellow flowers peak in April.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
When it blooms
The Tidy tips's yellow flowers bloom March to May, peaking in April. This spring display draws bees and butterflies.
Tidy tips blooms yellowFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Yellow-faced Bumble Bee
also Western Honey Bee, Ligated Furrow Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee +9 more
Tripartite Sweat Bee, Western Leafcutter Bee, Tansy Mustard Sweat Bee, Golden-tailed Leafcutter Bee, Melissodes microsticta, Lasioglossum zonulum, Titus's Sweat Bee, Andrena angustella, Andrena nigroclypeata - Butterflies Painted Lady
also Common Checkered-Skipper and Allies, Common Ringlet, Gray Buckeye +4 more
Acmon Blue, Edith's Checkerspot, Coenonympha california california, Occidryas editha - Flower flies Margined Calligrapher
also Oblique Streaktail, Large-tailed Aphideater, Forked Globetail +2 more
Copestylum marginatum, Black-footed Drone Fly - Also visited by
- Moths: Small Heliothodes Moth
- Beetles: Convergent Lady Beetle
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Acmon bluenectar
- Common buckeyenectar
- Common ringletnectar
- Coral hairstreaknectar
- Painted ladynectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- CaliforniaUnited States (1): CA. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Bay Region of California, south to southern CaliforniaThe 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.
- Moisture
- DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Soil
- Poor, dry, sandy loamsThe 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
- Life cycle
- AnnualWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- RapidA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Mar–MayWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- YellowThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.