About Xylorhiza orcuttii (Vasey & Rose) Greene
Xylorhiza orcuttii is a perennial plant in the family Asteraceae, commonly known as Orcutt's aster. It is native to southern California and northern Baja California, growing in scrubby habitat in the dry canyons of the Sonoran Desert. It often grows in rocky, sandy substrates, clay, and alkaline soils among cactus. It is a shrub with branching, mostly hairless stems that can reach 1.5 meters in length. Its leaves are lance-shaped to oblong, with smooth, toothed, or spiny edges. The inflorescence is a solitary flower head that holds up to 40 or more lavender or pale blue ray florets, each measuring over 3 centimeters in length. Flowering may begin as early as late fall or winter. The fruit is an achene that may be over a centimeter long including its bristle pappus.
