Trichostema lanceolatum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trichostema lanceolatum |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Trichostema
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| Species: |
lanceolatum
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Trichostema lanceolatum, also known as vinegarweed or camphor weed, is a wild plant that blooms every year. It belongs to the mint family and grows naturally in western North America.
It's called 'vinegarweed' because its leaves have special oils. These oils give off a strong smell, just like vinegar! These oils also help the plant by stopping other plants from growing too close.
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Where Vinegarweed Grows
This plant is found in the Western United States. You can see it from the Pacific Coast Ranges in Washington and Oregon. It also grows all over California and into northern Baja California in Mexico.
Vinegarweed can grow from sea level up to about 7,200 feet (2,200 meters) high. In California, it likes to live in places like chaparral and coastal sage scrub. It also thrives in different types of oak woodlands.
What Vinegarweed Looks Like
Trichostema lanceolatum is a wildflower that grows from a seed each year. It usually stays under 3 feet (1 meter) tall.
Its leaves are soft and hairy, shaped like a spear. They are about 0.8 to 3 inches (2 to 8 cm) long. On hot days, the vinegar smell from the plant becomes very strong. This happens as the oils in its leaves spread into the air.
The flowers are light blue to purple and have a special shape. They grow in long groups where the leaves meet the stem. Vinegarweed blooms from August to October.
How Vinegarweed Reproduces
These plants make new plants only from their seeds. The seeds usually fall to the ground right below the parent plant. This is how they spread and grow in new places.
How Vinegarweed Helps Nature
Vinegarweed is a very important source of pollen for native bees. It also helps other insects find food. When an insect lands on the lower part of the flower, it helps the plant spread its pollen. The flower quickly brushes pollen onto the insect's back.
The strong-smelling oils in the plant make it taste bad to animals. This means animals like deer usually don't eat it.
Traditional Uses
Some indigenous peoples of California used this plant in their traditional practices. They used it to help with colds and fevers. It was also used to ease pain and to keep fleas away.
