Yreka phlox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yreka phlox |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Phlox
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| Species: |
hirsuta
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The Phlox hirsuta, also known as the Yreka phlox or hairy phlox, is a small, beautiful flowering plant. It's a type of phlox flower. You can only find it growing in special serpentine soil in Siskiyou County, California. This plant is so special that it's the official city flower of Yreka, California, which is where it gets its name!
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What Does Yreka Phlox Look Like?
Yreka phlox plants are quite small. They usually grow up to six inches tall, which is about the length of a pencil. Their stems are thick and have tiny hairs, which is why it's sometimes called "hairy phlox." From April to June, these plants are covered in small, lovely pink or purple flowers.
How Is Yreka Phlox Related to Other Plants?
Yreka phlox often grows near another common type of phlox called Phlox speciosa. They look similar, but you can tell them apart. Phlox speciosa has deep notches in its flower petals, which Yreka phlox does not. Also, Phlox speciosa can grow in many different kinds of soil, not just serpentine soil.
Some scientists once thought Yreka phlox was just a different version of Phlox stansburyi. However, most biologists now agree that Yreka phlox is its own unique species. Important plant databases like CalFlora and the USDA PLANTS also recognize it as a separate species.
The History of Yreka Phlox
The first time Yreka phlox was officially recorded was in 1876. A man named Edward Lee Greene discovered it. He was a priest in Yreka at the time. He later became the first plant expert, or botanist, at the University of California, Berkeley.
In 1899, another scientist named Elias Nelson wrote about Greene's discovery. He noted that the plant was found on "rocky hilltops near Yreka, Siskiyou County, California." Many years later, in 2009, the Yreka phlox was chosen as the official city flower for Yreka.
Why Yreka Phlox Needs Our Help
Yreka phlox is a very rare plant. It only grows in a few spots near Yreka. This means it's in danger from things like new buildings and roads. Other problems come from the city growing bigger, like off-road vehicles driving where the plants grow. Also, plants that don't belong there can start to take over.
Because of these threats, Yreka phlox is considered an endangered species.
- In 1975, the Smithsonian Institution listed it as an endangered plant.
- California state listed it as endangered in 1986.
- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service added it to their endangered list in 2000.
To help protect it, the Fish and Wildlife Service created a recovery plan in 2006. This plan helps guide efforts to save the Yreka phlox. It was dedicated to Larry G. Bacon, who was a city lawyer in Yreka and a big supporter of protecting this special flower.
