Loeseliastrum schottii aka Schott's Calico
Taxonomy ID: 4845
Loeseliastrum schottii, commonly known as Schott's Calico, is a small annual herb in the phlox family (Polemoniaceae) native to the desert regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The plant grows as a bristly, hairy annual with alternate, oblong leaves that are toothed to shallowly lobed, typically 1–3 cm long, and may reach up to 4 cm. Leaves bear bristle-tipped teeth, giving the plant a slightly prickly texture. Stems are slender, reaching 3–12 cm in height.
The flowers are the plant's most distinctive feature. They are bilabiate (two-lipped), with three lobes on the upper lip and two on the lower. Petal coloration is highly variable and strikingly patterned — ranging from purple-speckled white to orange-speckled yellow, and sometimes incorporating reds and pinks, earning the "calico" common name. Maroon streaks are commonly noted on white to deep lavender forms. Protruding, curved stamens are tipped with yellow anthers, adding to the ornamental character of the tiny blooms. Flowering typically occurs from March through May.
In the wild, Schott's Calico grows in sandy to gravelly soils in desert washes, bajadas, desert shrublands, and open woodlands, including Creosote Bush Scrub and Joshua Tree Woodland communities. It is documented from California east to southwestern Utah and south into northwestern Mexico, occurring at elevations of 200–4,500 feet in Arizona. Within California, it is most commonly observed in southern and desert counties including San Bernardino, Kern, Inyo, and Kings.
As a native desert annual, Loeseliastrum schottii is not cultivated as a houseplant and is not a tree. It completes its life cycle quickly following desert rains, making it a classic desert ephemeral wildflower.
Common names
Schott's Calico, Langloisia Flaviflora, Langloisia Schottii, Loeselia SchottiiMore information about Schott's Calico
Where does Schott's Calico originate?
Loeseliastrum schottii is native to the desert regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its range extends from California east to southwestern Utah and south into Mexico, with records in Arizona across La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai, and Yuma counties. Within California it is most common in desert counties including San Bernardino, Kern, Inyo, and Kings, where it grows in Creosote Bush Scrub and Joshua Tree Woodland habitats.
What do Schott's Calico flowers look like?
Flowers of Loeseliastrum schottii are bilabiate (two-lipped), with three lobes on the upper lip and two on the lower. Coloration is highly variable and distinctively patterned — ranging from purple-speckled white to orange-speckled yellow, sometimes incorporating reds and pinks, and often with maroon streaks on lighter forms. Protruding stamens are curved and tipped with yellow anthers. Flowering typically occurs from March through May.
How big does Schott's Calico get?
Loeseliastrum schottii is a small desert annual herb. Stems reach 3–12 cm (roughly 1–5 inches) in height. Leaves are alternate, oblong, 1–3 cm long, toothed to shallowly lobed, and bristly. As a desert ephemeral, it completes its entire life cycle — germination, flowering, and seed set — within a single growing season following adequate rainfall.
What soil does Schott's Calico need?
In the wild, Loeseliastrum schottii grows in sandy to gravelly soils in desert washes, bajadas, desert shrublands, and open woodland communities such as Creosote Bush Scrub and Joshua Tree Woodland. It tolerates the nutrient-poor, well-drained soils typical of Mojave and Sonoran desert environments.
Can Schott's Calico be grown outdoors?
Loeseliastrum schottii is suited exclusively to outdoor cultivation in arid and semi-arid climates of the American Southwest. It grows naturally in desert washes and bajadas at elevations of 200–4,500 feet (60–1,370 m) across California, Utah, Arizona, and northwestern Mexico. As a native desert annual, it requires a dry, hot climate and is not appropriate for humid or temperate garden settings. It is not an invasive species.
Are there varieties of Schott's Calico?
Loeseliastrum schottii (Torr.) Timbrook is the currently accepted name for this species, published in Madroño 33(3): 172 in 1986. The species has several historical synonyms under which it was previously described: Navarretia schottii Torr. (basionym), Langloisia schottii (Torr.) Greene, Langloisia flaviflora A.Davidson, Gilia schottii (Torr.) A.Gray, and Loeselia schottii (Torr.) A.Gray. No recognized subspecies or varieties have been documented.
What pests and diseases affect Schott's Calico?
Loeseliastrum schottii is not listed as an invasive species in the IUCN Global Invasive Species Database. As a native desert annual, it completes its life cycle rapidly and is naturally adapted to the conditions of its environment. No specific pest or disease issues are documented in the available literature for this species.
Is Schott's Calico toxic to humans/pets?
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