Emmenanthe penduliflora (whispering bells)

Emmenanthe spp.

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (moderate)

Native to North America

Overview

Emmenanthe spp. is a genus in the family Boraginaceae containing the single species E. penduliflora, known as whispering bells, an annual wildflower of the deserts and chaparral of southwestern North America. Plants grow 8 to 24 in (20 to 60 cm) tall, with sticky, glandular, finely divided leaves that give off a strong scent. From spring into early summer they carry nodding, bell-shaped flowers in cream to pale yellow, each about 0.4 to 0.6 in (10 to 15 mm) long. As the flowers age they do not fall but dry to a thin, papery texture and remain on the plant, rustling audibly in the wind and giving the plant its common name. The species is a fire-follower: its seed lies dormant in the soil for years and germinates in large numbers after wildfire, partly in response to chemicals in smoke. Plants complete their life cycle in a single season and then die. Outside its narrow desert range and fire cycle it is rarely seen.

Native Range

Native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, including California, Nevada, Arizona, and Baja California, where it grows in deserts, chaparral, and dry slopes, often on recently burned ground.

Suggested Uses

Grown in native-plant, desert, and wildflower gardens of the arid Southwest, and used in post-fire restoration seed mixes. It is suited to gravel gardens and dry banks where summer water is withheld. Self-sown stands can persist where conditions stay open and dry.

How to Identify

A glandular, sticky annual with aromatic, deeply lobed leaves and reddish, branching stems. The nodding flowers are pale cream to yellow bells that hang along one side of curved flower stalks. The dried, papery flowers persist on the plant and rustle in the wind, a reliable identifying trait.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8" - 2'

Width/Spread4" - 1'

Colors

Flower Colors

cream

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering runs from March to June, depending on elevation and winter rainfall. Blooming is far heavier in the first spring after a fire, when dormant seed germinates en masse. The papery spent flowers remain through early summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Cream to pale yellow

Foliage Description

Green, glandular

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

tender

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Whispering bells is a desert annual grown from seed sown in autumn or winter on lean, sharply drained sandy or gravelly soil. It needs full sun and only the moisture supplied by cool-season rains, with no summer irrigation. Germination is improved by exposure to smoke or smoke-treated water, reflecting its fire-follower biology. A soil pH near neutral, from about 6.0 to 7.5, suits it. The plants need no fertiliser and do poorly in crowded or rich ground. After seed set the plants die and are cleared.

Pruning

No pruning is needed for this short-lived annual. Spent plants can be left in place so the dry seed heads shed seed, or cleared once seed has dropped. Removing plants before seed set prevents self-sowing.