Native Plant Database

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Clarkia concinna (Red ribbons)
Bransford, W.D. Mrs.

Clarkia concinna (Fisch. & C.A. Mey.) Greene

Red ribbons, Redribbons

Onagraceae (Evening-Primrose Family)

USDA Symbol: CLCO

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

An erect, 1-2 ft. annual, crowded with rose-purple flowers. The deeply cut petals make this Clarkia more delicate than C. amoena. A low, many-branched plant with elaborate, bright pink flowers crowded in leaf axils.

In the very similar Beautiful Clarkia (C. pulchella), sometimes also called Deerhorn Clarkia or Ragged-robin Clarkia, the middle lobe of each petal is twice as wide as the side lobes; it is found from southern British Columbia to southeastern Oregon and east to western Montana. Brewers Clarkia (C. breweri), growing in central California, has a central petal lobe about half as wide as the side lobes. Gunsight Clarkia (C. xantiana), found in southern California, has a needle-like middle petal lobe.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: CA
Native Distribution: CA Coast Ranges from Santa Clara Co. north; Sierran foothills in Yuba and Butte Cos.
Native Habitat: Dry, foothill woods
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Dry, loose soil.
Conditions Comments: Do not thin seedlings as crowding encourages blooming.

Benefit

Use Food: Indigenous Californians sowed Clarkia species and harvested the seeds to grind for food.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Description: Sow seeds after last frost in cold-winter zones. Where winters are milder, sow seeds late summer through fall.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes
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Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

Bibliography

Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources (2006) Anderson, M. Kat

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Clarkia concinna in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Clarkia concinna in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Clarkia concinna

Metadata

Record Modified: 2008-10-19
Research By: TWC Staff

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