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Sanicula bipinnatifida

purple sanicle

Apiaceae

Pacific coast of North America (British Columbia to Baja California)

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 7–10

Overview

Sanicula bipinnatifida is a taprooted perennial in the carrot family (Apiaceae), growing 6-24 inches (15-60 cm) tall from a basal rosette. The leaves are 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long, deeply pinnately divided into toothed lobes with a purplish tinge along the veins and margins. Branching stems carry small, dense, rounded flower heads about 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) across, each packed with tiny flowers that are usually deep maroon-purple, occasionally yellow. The protruding stamens give the heads a pincushion look. Flowering runs through spring, drawing native bees and other small insects. The flowers form small, bur-like fruits covered in hooked bristles that cling to fur and clothing. It grows in open grassland, coastal bluffs, and oak woodland on well-drained soils, often where the ground dries in summer. After seeding, the plant goes dormant through the dry season. One limitation is its brief spring display and summer dormancy, which leave a gap in the planting once the foliage dies down.

Native Range

Sanicula bipinnatifida is native to the Pacific coast of North America, from British Columbia south through California into northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows in grassland, coastal scrub, and open oak woodland.

Suggested Uses

Sanicula bipinnatifida is used in native meadow, grassland, and pollinator plantings and in rock gardens on dry soil. Its spring flower heads suit the front of informal borders among grasses. The summer dormancy makes it a companion to later-season plants rather than a standalone feature.

How to Identify

Deeply divided basal leaves 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long are tinged purple along the veins and edges. Branching stems hold dense, rounded heads 0.4-0.6 inch (10-15 mm) across of tiny maroon-purple flowers with projecting stamens. The purple flower heads and hooked, bur-like fruits separate it from yellow-flowered Sanicula crassicaulis, which has shallowly lobed leaves.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6" - 2'

Width/Spread8" - 1'4"

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in spring, generally March to May, depending on elevation and rainfall. The dense heads open over several weeks on branching stems. Hooked fruits ripen by early summer as the plant begins to go dormant.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green with purple tinge

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-10 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 loam rocky clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

Blooms in second or third year from seed

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Sanicula bipinnatifida grows in full sun to part shade on well-drained, sandy, loamy, or rocky soils that dry out in summer. It needs moisture during winter and spring growth and tolerates summer drought as it goes dormant. Rich, wet, or poorly drained soil shortens its life. The taproot resents disturbance, so plants are left undivided once established. It carries few pests and needs no fertilizer in lean soils. Foliage left to die back naturally feeds the root for the next season.

Pruning

No pruning is needed beyond removing spent flower stalks if the clinging seed is unwanted. The foliage is left to die back on its own as the plant enters summer dormancy. Plants reappear from the taproot with fall and winter rains.