Linanthus

( lye - NAN - thus )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus includes species of flowering plants which need full sun and little to no water once established to perform well in the landscape. Flowers are typically pink-tinged white or lavender-pink and have yellow throats. Individual plants can be prostrate or erect, topping out around 2 and a half feet tall in most cases. Some species and varietals have fragrant blooms and foliage. Linanthus plants are typically grown in desert or rock gardens, and their flowers open at night.

Linanthus species and varietals

The genus Linanthus is a member of the plant family Polemoniaceae and includes 26 distinct species. The genus formerly included many species that are now in the Leptosiphon genus. These plants grow best in USDA hardiness zones 3-7 or Sunset growing zones 1-9 and 14-24, though this varies somewhat depending on the species cultivated. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Linanthus bigelovii (Bigelow's Linanthus, Bigelow Desert Trumpet, Bigelow's Deserttrumpets)
This species is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, and grows in dry habitats. These annual plants produce thin stems up to 8 inches tall topped with a small inflorescence of white (sometimes lavender tinted) flowers that open in the evening. This species does well in USDA hardiness zones 8a-10a.

Linanthus demissus (Humble Gilia, Desertsnow, Desert Linanthus)
These plants are found growing in the Mojave Desert and are annual plants with downy stems and foliage. They do well in USDA hardiness zones 8a-10b. Flowers are fragrant and white with purple lines. These plants are inconspicuous out of flower, and can be found in large populations around Death Valley National Park. They reach up to 1 to 4 inches tall when mature and have heavily branched, creeping stems.

Linanthus dianthiflorus (Fringed Linanthus, Ground Pink, Large-Flowered Linanthus, Large Flowered Leptosiphon, California Phlox)
These annual wildflowers are native to Southern California, and produce very thin stems from a basal tuft of foliage. Flowers are white with purple to pink edges and yellow centers. Edges of petals are fringed. Individual plants reach up to 2-6 inches tall at maturity. Fringed Linanthus grows well in USDA hardiness zones 8b-11a.

Linanthus parryae (Sandblossoms, Parry's Linanthus, Sand Blossoms)
These plants are native to the western United States, and are very small annual herbaceous plants, reaching to just 1-4 inches tall when mature. Flowers are white with yellow centers, and can sometimes be blue, purple or bicolored. There is much variation within the species, a quality which has made it popular for scientific study. Best in USDA hardiness zones 7a-9a.

Linanthus pungens (Granite Prickly Phlox, Granite Gilia, Mountain Prickly-Phlox, Matted Prickly-Phlox)
These plants form subshrubs or perennial herbaceous plants that can be short and spreading or grow erect, topping out at 3 feet tall. Stems are densely covered in small, pointed leaves, and flowers can be solitary or grouped together in inflorescences at tips, opening at night. Blooms and foliage are both quite aromatic, hence the specific epithet pungens. Flowers are white, cream, light yellow or pinkish. These plants grow well in USDA hardiness zones 3-10.

Caring for LiNanthus

Sow seeds in fall or early spring. These plants should be situated in a space in the garden that receives full sun (to partial shade in some cases). Ideally, they should be getting about 6 hours or more of sun every day to bloom well. They prefer soil to be well-draining, on the sandy to rocky side, and to have a pH of between 6.5 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Water newly planted Linanthus regularly to help it develop a strong root system. At maturity, these plants are drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone with a some supplemental waterings in the warmest months of the year.

No fertilization needed. To prune, cut back plants in early spring, removing dead, damaged, or diseased foliage. Linanthus flowers are considered perennials in warm climates (USDA hardiness zones 8-11), and are treated as annuals in cooler zones. In areas where they are perennial, they can survive in the landscape for 2-3 years before needing to be replaced. When grown as annuals, they are pulled and composted at the end of the growing season or simply left in place to enrich the soil. Both perennial and annual plants will re-seed freely in ideal conditions, providing new flowers for the garden indefinitely.

Propagation

The easiest way to propagate Linanthus is to harvest and sow seeds. These plants will reseed freely if allowed, and volunteer seedlings can also be dug up and replanted elsewhere if desired. To propagate your Linanthus plant, follow the instructions below.

Propagating Linanthus by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 15-20 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.