Scrophularia californica - California Figwort

Description

California Figwort is an herbaceous perennial which forms a widely branching and fast spreading rootstock. Found along roadsides, creeksides, chaparral and coastal scrub, it generally prefers a moist area but can become overly-vigorous if you spoil it too much.  Its tiny little flowers are a lovely deep red often with some pale yellow-green near the throat.  Use it for contrast in a mixed border and for habitat- it's a larval food source of the Variable Checkerspot- Euphydryas chalcedona, Edith's Checkerspot butterfly- Euphydryas editha, and the Common Buckeye Butterfly- Junonia coenia.  Its other common name is "Bee Plant" because it is very popular with our solitary native bees.  As it is a prolific nectar producer, hummingbirds also love this plant.  The Yuki and Wailaki people used the leaf ashes as a valuable source of salt.