Chinese Houses
Collinsia heterophylla
Last reviewed: August 2026
Chinese Houses is an annual wildflower that blooms from March through June, producing tiered lavender and purple flowers popular with bees and butterflies in sunny to lightly shaded gardens.
Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla) is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs or cats (aspca.org (opens in new tab), last reviewed 2026-05-21). If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
6"–24" H × 6"–12" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May, Jun
Native to
CA
Pollinators
bees, butterflies
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Chinese houses (Collinsia heterophylla) is a charming native annual wildflower growing 6-24 inches tall. It features distinctive tiered whorls of purple and white flowers that bloom from spring to early summer, resembling tiny pagodas. This low-water plant thrives in full sun and makes an excellent addition to borders or wildflower meadows.
Growing Chinese Houses
Grow Chinese Houses in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 6 to 24 inches tall and spread 6 to 12 inches wide. Expect moderate maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Chinese Houses is an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement. Maintenance level: moderate. Tidiness: 3 out of 5.
Works well in: foundation, mid zone.
- Annual nature means seasonal dieback
- Can self-seed and appear informal
- May need to be part of a more structured planting design
Wildlife value
Chinese houses is highly attractive to native bees and butterflies, providing valuable spring and early summer nectar.
Common questions
- When does Chinese Houses bloom?
- Chinese Houses typically flowers from March through June, with blooms tapering off as temperatures rise in early summer.
- What growing conditions does Chinese Houses need?
- It grows best in full sun to part shade with low to moderate water, and it tends to do well in open woodland edges or garden beds that don't stay soggy.
- What pollinators visit Chinese Houses?
- Bees and butterflies are the main visitors to Chinese Houses flowers, drawn to the tiered white-to-purple blooms.
- Is Chinese Houses a perennial plant?
- No, it is an annual forb that completes its life cycle in one growing season, flowering in spring and setting seed by early summer.
- Is Chinese Houses toxic to dogs?
- Chinese Houses is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs (aspca.org).
- Is Chinese Houses toxic to cats?
- Chinese Houses is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for cats (aspca.org).
- Is Chinese Houses HOA-friendly?
- Chinese Houses is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with moderate maintenance.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Chinese Houses? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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