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| Category: Perennial |
| Family: Onagraceae (Evening-primroses) |
| Origin: California (U.S.A.) |
| California Native (Plant List): Yes |
| Flower Color: Orange Red |
| Bloomtime: Summer/Fall |
| Synonyms: [Zauschneria canum 'Sierra Salmon'] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 0-10° F |
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Epilobium 'Sierra Salmon' (Sierra Salmon California Fuchsia) - Soft long narrow blue-gray leaves lightly clothe this low growing densely clumping semi-deciduous subshrub that grows with erect stems to just over a foot tall and spreading slowly out to 2 to 3 feet wide. Some years will produce a profusion of unusual salmon-colored tubular flowers with four flaring deeply bi-lobed petals in late summer and fall that are displayed well on the upright stems. Best in full sun in a well-drained soil and, while drought tolerant, looks best with occasional to infrequent irrigation in summer but only if soil drains well. In heavier soils that don't drain well be careful not to overwater as these plants do not like wet heavy soil in summer – better not water them at all in these conditions. Hardy to 5-10 degrees F. After the first year of establishment trim back or shear plants in mid-winter for a neater appearance the following season. These showy late season plants are blooming when many other natives are not and are attractive to hummingbirds. The name Epilobium is considered current but this group of sub-shrubs used to be called Zauschneria and are so different from the other Epilobium, herbaceous plants often called Fireweeds, that many California native plant enthusiast and even the experts often still refer to them as Zauschneria. This former name was given the genus by the Czechoslovakian naturalist Karel (Charles) Borivoj Presl in 1831 to honor his fellow Czech, Johann Baptista Josef Zauschner (1737–1799), a professor of medicine and amateur botanist. The name Epilobium comes from the Greek word 'epi' meaning "upon" and 'lobium' meaning "a pod" in reference to the flowers being superior, meaning that they sit above the developing seed capsules. 'Sierra Salmon' was introduced by Cornflower Farms from a selection made by Carolyn Chainey-Davis at the headwaters of the Yuba River in Nevada County at an elevation of about 6,600 feet. It has performed better in northern California and Oregon than in southern California gardens where it does not bloom reliably each year, and for this reason did not perform as well as more low land and coastal selections in the Rancho Santa Ana Zauschneria trials with the thought that it might need colder winter vernalization to perform its best.
This information about Epilobium canum 'Sierra Salmon' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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