Erysimum capitatum

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Erysimum capitatum

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Kemper Code: W850

Common Name: coastal wallflower
Zone: 3 to 7
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Brassicaceae
Missouri Native: Yes
Native Range: Western North America
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Spread: 0.5 to 1 foot
Bloom Time: May - July
Bloom Color: Orange to yellow-orange to copper
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low

Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to light shade. This flower is a biennial, so self-seeding will be necessary for it to remain in the garden. Cut back spent flowering stems only after seed has been harvested or has ripened and fallen to the ground.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Western wallflower is broadly distributed throughout western North America. It is also native to Missouri where it primarily occurs on rocky open ground, limestone glades and bluffs in the central part of the State (Steyermark). It is an erect biennial that features a dense, rounded flower cluster (raceme) of showy, 4-petaled orange to yellow-orange to maroon to nearly white flowers (3/4" wide) atop a leafy upright stem growing 1-2' tall. Linear to narrow oblong leaves (to 3" long) appear in a basal rosette and along the stem. Flowers give way to 4-angled seed pods (to 4" long). Capitatum (meaning head in Latin) is in reference to either the head-like shape of the flower cluster or the knobby stigma.

Problems:

No serious insect or disease problems.

Uses:

Rock gardens. Native plant gardens or naturalized areas.