Collinsia heterophylla
purple Chinese houses
California and northern Baja California
SunPart Shade
WaterMedium
Overview
Collinsia heterophylla, purple Chinese houses, is a spring annual in the plantain family native to California, growing 8-20 inches (20-50 cm) tall on slender, upright stems. Its name comes from the flowers, which are stacked in tiered whorls up the stem like the roofs of a pagoda. Each two-lipped flower is about 0.5-0.75 inch (12-18 mm) long, with a white to pale lilac upper lip and a rose to deep violet lower lip. The narrow, opposite leaves are 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long. It grows in shaded and partly shaded spots in woodlands, on slopes, and among rocks below the chaparral, flowering in spring and dying as the soil dries in summer. As an annual it depends on reseeding and germinates with winter rains. It fades quickly once hot, dry weather arrives, leaving bare ground. C. heterophylla is grown from seed in woodland and native wildflower gardens and shaded beds for its tiered spring flowers.
Native Range
Collinsia heterophylla is native to California and northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows in shaded and partly shaded woodlands, on slopes, and among rocks below chaparral, mostly in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills. It is a common spring wildflower in these habitats.Suggested Uses
Purple Chinese houses is grown in woodland gardens, shaded native and wildflower plantings, and partly shaded beds. Its flowers draw native bees, including specialist bees, and other spring pollinators. It is used for naturalizing in shaded areas that stay moist through spring.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 1'8"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs in spring, roughly March through June depending on elevation and rainfall. The whorls open from the bottom of the stem upward over several weeks. Seed capsules form and dry as the plant finishes by early summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
White to lilac upper lip, rose to violet lower lipFoliage Description
GreenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Water & Climate
Water Needs
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow purple Chinese houses from seed in part shade in moist, well-drained soil; it grows in the dappled light of woodland edges and shaded slopes. Sow seed in fall for spring bloom, since it germinates with cool, moist weather. It needs moisture through the spring growing season but finishes and dies as soils dry in summer. As a self-sowing annual it returns where the ground is left undisturbed. It needs no fertilizer and little care, though slugs and snails may damage seedlings. It does not tolerate hot, dry, fully exposed sites.Pruning
No pruning is needed for this spring annual. Leaving spent plants in place lets them drop seed for the next year. Plants die back on their own as summer heat arrives.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons
✓ Toxicity
Non-toxicPlanting Guide
Planting Methods & Timing
Planting Method
direct sow
Direct Sow Timing
Fall, for spring bloom
Days to Maturity
90–120 days
Plant Spacing
6 inches