Lithospermum canescens
hoary puccoon
Overview
Lithospermum canescens is an upright perennial in the borage family growing 6-18 inches (15-45 cm) tall from a thick, deep taproot that yields a reddish-purple dye. The unbranched stems and the alternate, oblong leaves are densely covered in soft, whitish hairs, giving the plant a gray-green, hoary cast. From April to June it bears clusters of five-lobed, tubular orange-yellow flowers about 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) across at the stem tips. L. canescens grows in dry to moist prairies, savannas, glades, and open woodlands across central and eastern North America, where it tolerates drought and lean soils once its taproot is deep. It is slow to establish, hard to transplant or divide because of the brittle taproot, and rarely sets abundant seed in cultivation. The plant needs full sun and sharp drainage; it declines in shade, rich soil, and wet ground. Small bees and butterflies visit the spring flowers. It dies back to the root each winter and reappears slowly in spring.
Native Range
Native to central and eastern North America, from Ontario and the Great Lakes south to Georgia and Texas, growing in prairies, savannas, and open woods.Suggested Uses
Used in prairie restorations, native plant gardens, and dry meadow plantings on lean soils. It suits sunny, well-drained slopes and rock gardens. Its taproot makes it slow to establish and unsuited to frequent transplanting.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 1'6"
Width/Spread6" - 1'
Bloom Information
Orange-yellow flowers open from April to June, peaking in May. The clustered blooms appear at the stem tips over a 3-5 week period. Flowering is heaviest in open, sunny prairie sites.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
gray-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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