Zeltnera spp.

Gentianaceae Western North America and Mexico

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

Overview

Zeltnera spp. is a genus of about 25 small annual and biennial herbs in the gentian family, segregated from Centaurium spp. and centered on western North America, with several species in Mexico and Central America. Plants are slender and erect, usually 4 to 20 inches (10 to 50 cm) tall, branching in the upper half into open clusters of star-shaped flowers. Each bloom has five lobes spreading from a narrow tube and is most often pink, though some species are white or pale yellow, with a yellow throat. The opposite leaves are small, smooth-edged, and sometimes form a basal rosette in the first season. Flowering runs from spring into summer, with individual flowers opening in sun and lasting only a short time. As annuals or biennials of open, often seasonally moist ground, these are short-lived plants that complete their cycle and set seed within a year or two, then disappear until the next generation germinates. Their small size and brief life span make them ephemeral additions rather than long-standing garden features, and they are grown mainly in wildflower meadows and native plantings within their range.

Native Range

Zeltnera spp. is native to the Americas, with the greatest number of species in California and the western United States, extending into Mexico and Central America. The plants grow in open grasslands, meadows, vernally moist flats, and disturbed sites, often where winter rains give way to dry summers.

Suggested Uses

Zeltnera spp. is grown in wildflower meadows, native and pollinator plantings, and seasonally moist swales within its native range. The small pink flowers add scattered color among grasses in late spring and summer. Short life span and small stature suit it to naturalistic plantings rather than formal beds.

How to Identify

Look for a small, slender herb with squarish branching stems and opposite, stalkless leaves, topped by open clusters of five-lobed, star-shaped pink flowers with a slender tube. The flowers have a yellow center and protruding anthers that often twist after opening. The combination of pink salver-shaped blooms, small size, and gentian-family form distinguishes Zeltnera spp. from similar meadow annuals.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height4" - 1'8"

Width/Spread2" - 8"

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering occurs from spring into summer, broadly April to August depending on rainfall and elevation. The star-shaped flowers open in bright sun and close or drop within a few days, with a plant flowering over roughly four to eight weeks. Seed is set quickly after bloom, and plants then die back.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Pink, sometimes white or yellow

Foliage Description

Green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-10 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 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Zeltnera spp. grows in full sun to light shade on average to moist soils with a pH from about 6.0 to 8.0, including loam, sand, and clay. As annuals and biennials, plants are raised from seed sown in place, since they resent transplanting once their roots develop. Seasonal moisture in spring suits them, while waterlogged or heavily fertilized soil reduces flowering. They need little care beyond thinning crowded seedlings. Because the plants are short-lived, leaving some flowers to set seed maintains a stand from year to year.

Pruning

Pruning is not needed for these small annuals; spent stems can be sheared after flowering if self-seeding is to be limited. Leaving some seed heads in place lets the plants reseed. Whole plants are pulled once they have died back.