Scrophularia californica

Scrophularia californica, California Figwort is a two to four foot perennial with three foot spikes of red flowers. It is native along the coast and southern Sierras, from L.A. to B.C.. It is not as pretty or easy to grow as S. atrata. It never has dark green leaves here in our soil. The woods it grows in around here get between 20 and 30 inches of rainfall each year. Although California figwort is sometimes found in sand, it comes into full glory in open heavy clay. Not as tolerant as Scrophularia atrata of heat, it will do fine in the interior given some shade and a few sprinklings of water. The Chalcedon Checkerspot lives on this species and sequesters Iridoid glycosides from the plant, making the larva poisonous and adults unpalatable. So, unless you're a butterfly, do not eat this plant.