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Native Plant Database

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Lithospermum canescens (Hoary puccoon)
Bengston, Bennie

Lithospermum canescens (Michx.) Lehm.

Hoary puccoon

Boraginaceae (Borage Family)

USDA Symbol: lica12

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Hoary puccoon’s clumps of leafy stems grow 6-18 in. tall. A hairy, grayish plant with terminal clusters of yellow-orange, tubular flowers; leaves and stems covered with fine soft hairs, giving plant a hoary look. The leaves are bright green, small and narrow, and, like the stems, are covered with silky hairs. Bright, yellow-orange flowers form dense clusters at the tips of the stems. The flowers are tubular and five-lobed.

Puccoon is an Algonquian word for a number of plants that yield dyes. Among the other species in the East, Hairy Puccoon (L. caroliniense) has harsher, longer hairs; Corn Gromwell (L. arvense), originally European but now found throughout the United States, is an annual with inconspicuous white flowers among its upper leaf axils.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Orange , Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , DC , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NE , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , WI , WV
Canada: MB , ON , SK
Native Distribution: NJ to Sask., s. to n.c. NC & TX
Native Habitat: Dry to mesic, rich prairies & open woods
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Dry to moderately moist, well-drained soils.
Conditions Comments: This Lithospermum species is usually not found in sands.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2012-10-03
Research By: TWC Staff

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