Brewer's clarkia is a rare annual wildflower native to Northern California coastal ranges that grows less than 1 foot tall with upright stems that are often red-purple in color and branched. It blooms in spring with pink or purple square flowers that have an unusual projecting middle lobe and intensely sweet fragrance. Brewer's clarkia provides excellent pollinator habitat and attracts hawkmoths and birds, and is well-suited for use in wildflower areas, containers, and fragrance gardens where it can be grown in full sun to part shade with adequate water and well-drained soil.

1. *Brewer’s clarkia – Clarkia breweri (CLARK-ee-uh BREW-er-eye)
Family: Onagraceae (Willowherb Family)
Native to: Rare endemic from Northern CA Coastal ranges; shale or serpentine scree in Chaparral,
Foothill Woodland, Northern Coastal Scrub.
Growth characteristics: annual wildflower mature height: <1 ft. mature width: 1-2 ft.
Annual wildflower with upright top sprawling habit. Stems are branched, often red-purple in color.
Leaves narrow. Plant appearance similar to a miniature Elegant clarkia.
Blooms/fruits: Blooms in spring (Apr.-Jun.). Flowers are pink or purple and appear square.
Flowers have four petals, each with an unusual, projecting middle lobe. Showy and unique, even
amongst the Clarkias. Flowers have an intensely sweet fragrance - also unique.
Uses in the garden: Many uses for this wildflower. Often incorporated into wildflower areas or
prairies, with other annuals and native grasses. Lovely choice for containers or bare spaces around
water-wise shrubs. Good choice for fragrance garden – plant where you can enjoy the scent.
Sensible substitute for: Non-native Godetias and other annuals.
Attracts: Excellent pollinator habitat: provides nectar and pollen for Hawkmoths & others. Birds
will also eat the seed.
Requirements:
Element Requirement
Sun Full sun to part-shade.
Soil Well-drained in nature; probably most soils.
Water Adequate water during growth; taper off after blooming.
Fertilizer Not needed.
Other Thin inorganic mulch or none; no thick organic mulch
Management: Collect seeds or let re-seed naturally before removing spent stems.
Propagation: from seed: easy with fresh seed
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 37, 46 4/29/16
* California native, but not native to Western Los Angeles County © Project SOUND