Streptanthus tortuosus
mountain jewelflower
Mountains of California and adjacent states
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesDeer ResistantDrought TolerantContainer Friendly
Native to North America
Overview
Streptanthus tortuosus is a variable annual to short-lived perennial in the mustard family, growing 4-40 inches (10-100 cm) tall on smooth, often zigzag, bluish-green stems. The rounded leaves clasp the stem, the upper ones perfoliate so the stem appears to pass through them, and the whole plant is hairless with a waxy blue-green cast. Small urn-shaped flowers line the upper stem, each with a swollen calyx and petals that range from greenish-yellow to purple or brownish-purple depending on the population. Bloom runs through the summer months. Flowering is followed by long, slender, curved seed pods that spread outward from the stem. The species grows on rocky slopes, ridges, road cuts, and disturbed openings in mountains across California and adjacent states, and often appears in numbers after fire. It tolerates thin, rocky soils and summer drought. Its form ranges from a single-season annual at low sites to a longer-lived rosette plant at higher elevations. Seeds spread from the splitting pods.
Native Range
Streptanthus tortuosus is native to the mountains of California and adjacent Oregon and Nevada, from the Sierra Nevada and Cascades to the Klamath and coastal ranges. It grows on rocky slopes, ridgelines, road cuts, and burned or disturbed openings from foothills to subalpine elevations.Suggested Uses
Used in native plant gardens, rock gardens, and restoration of burned or disturbed mountain ground within its range. The blue-green clasping foliage and urn-shaped flowers suit naturalistic dryland plantings. It establishes on rocky, low-fertility openings where many plants do not.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 3'4"
Width/Spread6" - 1'6"
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
greenish-yellow to purpleFoliage Description
blue-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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to light shade with six or more hours of light. Sharp drainage is needed, and rocky, gravelly, or sandy soils of low fertility suit it, while rich or wet ground produces weak growth. It tolerates summer drought once growth is complete. Plants are grown from seed sown in fall, and seed often germinates well after exposure to smoke or heat, reflecting the plant's link to burned ground. The shorter-lived forms complete growth in one season, while higher-elevation forms persist longer. No fertilizer is needed on lean soils.Pruning
Pruning is not generally practiced. Spent stems can be cut after the pods release seed or left standing through winter. Removing pods before they split limits self-sowing.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
fall
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons