Wyethia angustifolia
California Compass Plant
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Compositae
- Genus
- Wyethia
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 1 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
Seed - cooked. They can be used as a piñole[1][3]. The seed can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickener in soups or can be added to cereal flours when making bread etc[1][3]. Young leaves - raw[1].
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Seed
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
A poultice of the pounded root has been used to draw blisters[3]. A decoction of the leaves has been used as a bath to promote perspiration and thereby treat fevers[3].
- Product or use
- Diaphoretic
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
- Product or use
- Poultice
Material uses
A lemon-yellow dye is obtained from the flowers[1]. A gold to brass dye is obtained from the flowers, leaves and stems[1].
- Product or use
- Dye
Environment
- Range
- Western N. America - Washington to California.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse or cold frame in early spring. Use a very freely-draining compost, prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out into their permanent positions when they are large enough. Careful division of the crown as the plants come into growth in spring[2].
Cultivation
Requires a free-draining, gritty but moisture-retentive soil in a sunny position[2]. Plants are intolerant of drought[2]. According to [2] this species requires climatic zone 9, meaning that it can only tolerate occasional light frosts. This is somewhat questionable since the plant's native range extends northwards to Washington where the winter temperatures often fall much lower than this.
References
Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00