How to Grow and Care for Cistanthe

Biennial grass. Leaves grouped at the base of the stem, fleshy, oval, 4 to 10 cm Pink flowers, 6 cm in diameter, in clusters. The flower sticks reach 50 cm in height and each plant produces three to six. It grows in coastal areas between rocks.

Oneseed pussypaws (Cistanthe monosperma) is an indigenous plant to western North America with an unusual ability. It raises and lowers its blossoms to maintain its temperature within specific parameters. There are few other plants that use this mechanism. This species thrives best in rocky soil.

Cistanthe umbellata is a flowering plant, commonly known as mt. hood pussypaws. It is native to western North America and grows in a wide range of habitats. This includes areas where other plants cannot survive, such as places with alpine climates.

It commonly grows on well-drained slopes often on rocky slopes or in rock crevices from low elevation ponderosa pine sites up to the drier part of the Grand Fir zone of the North Cascades. The flowers usually have a coral, apricot, or pink color.

Cistanthe monandra is a fleshy, flat annual herb producing short stems which extend along the ground or spread upright from a small taproot. Thick, spoon-shaped leaves occur in a basal rosette at the base of the stem, reaching up to about 5 cm in length.