Plant Species: Arenaria congesta, ballhead sandwort
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta -- flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida -- dicots
Family: Caryophyllaceae -- pink
Genus: Arenaria
Species: congesta
Variety:
Common Name: ballhead sandwort, capitate sandwort, dense-flowered sandwort
Species Code: ARCO5
Origin: Native to dry, open areas from Washington to California and east to Montana and Arizona.
Rare: no
Form: forb, perennial, caespitose, glabrous, from a woody caudex, 10-40 cm tall.
Duration: perennial
Longevity:
Habitat Type: prairie
Wetland Indicator Status: not listed
Leaves: narrow, linear, rigid, pungent; basal leaves numerous; cauline leaves shorter, opposite.
Mature height: 4-16 inches
Flowers: perfect, congested in tight heads, petals white.
Flower color: white
Bloom: June, July, August
Bloom starts on: June 16
Bloom ends on: Aug 10
Fruit: capsule, ovoid, 1.5 mm long.
Vegetation type:
Characteristics:
A highly variable species for which a number of varieties have been named.
1,083,000 seeds/lb (Hassell et al 1996).
Perennating organ is a caudex.
Fruit is a capsule.
Flowers are perfect.
2n=22 for var. congesta (Baldwin et al 2004).
Some native peoples used the plants medicinally.
Comments:
Arenaria congesta can pass for a grass at a cursory glance. It is an interesting, but not particularly stunning, plant for landscape use. Seeds benefit from stratification. Likes dry sites (Skinner et al 2005).
Sun requirement: full
Soil moisture: xeric
Precipitation:
Fire:
Hazards:
Sowing time: fall
Transplant time: spring
Stratification: lengthy cold moist
Seed yield: medium
Seed harvest: medium difficulty
Seed first harvest: 2nd season
Seed cleaning: easy
Planting duration: long
Seed insect problem: none noted
Seed shatter: medium
Seed size: small
Seed harvest date: late July - early August
Seed comments: Most seed is ripe in late July, only a few flowers continue to bloom into August
Key words:
Alternate Genus:
Alternate Species:
Alternate Variety:
Notes:
References:
Baldwin, B.G., S. Boyd, B.J. Ertter, D.J. Keil, R.W. Patterson, T.J. Rosatti, and D.H. Wilken (eds). 2004. Jepson Online Interchange for California Floristics. University and Jepson Herbaria, University of California, Berkeley, CA. Accessed 7/22/09 online at http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/interchange.html
Hassell, Wendell, W. Rocky Beavers, Steve Ouellette, and Thomas Mitchell. 1996. Seeding Rate Statistics for Native and Introduced Species. US Dept of Interior and USDA, NRCS. Denver, CO.
Skinner, David M., Paul Warnick, Bill French, and Mary Fauci. 2005. More Palouse Forbs for Landscaping. USDA NRCS Pullman Plant Materials Center and Palouse Prairie Foundation.
Online at http://www.wsu.edu/pmc_nrcs/Docs/More_Forbs_for_Landscaping.pdf