Purple owl's clover
Castilleja exserta
Last reviewed: September 2026
Purple owl's clover (Castilleja exserta) is a annual forb native to AZ, CA, NM. It blooms in March, April, and May. The flowers draw bees and bumble bees.
Toxicity unknown
Purple owl's clover (Castilleja exserta) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
6"–16" H × 4"–8" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
AZ, CA, NM
Pollinators
bees, bumble bees
Before you buy
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A finely textured annual wildflower, hemiparasitic on nearby grass roots, with dense spikes of magenta-purple bracts tipped in white. It grows in colorful drifts in grassland and open fields.
Growing Purple owl's clover
Grow Purple owl's clover in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 6 to 16 inches tall and spread 4 to 8 inches wide.
Wildlife value
An important early-season nectar source for native bees and bumble bees when grown in mass plantings.
Common questions
- How much sun does Purple owl's clover need?
- Purple owl's clover grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Purple owl's clover bloom?
- Purple owl's clover blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Purple owl's clover native?
- Purple owl's clover (Castilleja exserta) is native to AZ, CA, NM, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Purple owl's clover attract?
- Purple owl's clover draws bees and bumble bees.
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 Purple owl's clover? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.