Scarlet Gilia Ipomopsis rubra
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- eye-poh-MOP-sis ROO-bruh
- Description
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This native biennial wildflower is grown as a half-hardy annual though, through reseeding, it can remain in the garden for many years. Sow seed into lightly raked soil in the fall to propagate. Plants produce a fern-like rosette the first year and a flower spike the second. Cutting back the spent flower spike will force a second bloom. The bright red, showy, tubular flowers arranged to bloom downward on the thick spike attract hummingbirds. It prefers well-drained soil from gravelly to sandy or medium loam. It grows in full sun but can tolerate light shade and can be drought tolerant and deer resistant.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ipomopsis
- Species:
- rubra
- Family:
- Polemoniaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Wildflowers
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern United States
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , SC , TN , TX , VA , WI
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts hummingbirds
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer tolerant, Drought tolerant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Two-section capsule containing shiny black seeds
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Star
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The terminal panicle of tubular red flowers that have 5 flared petals. The inside of the flowers is marked with orange or yellowish spots.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Finely divided compound leaves have a feathery appearance and are up to 1 inch long. Starts out as a rosette the first year the sends up a leafy stalk the second year and has a similar look to fennel until it blooms
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Hummingbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
