Description

San Clemente Island chicory is endemic to San Clemente Island, the most southerly of the California Channel Islands. This rare plant grows in a low mound of solid green, shiny leaves of an angular, lobed shape. The summer flowers are a panicle of small lavender blooms. On its island home, San Clemente Island chicory is found on well-draining bluffs and hillsides in full sun. In the SF Bay Area, these conditions can be mimicked in coastal settings, while inland gardeners would do well to provide some protection from the afternoon sun. A somewhat protective setting would also reduce the plant’s vulnerability to damage during a hard frost. In the nursery, San Clemente Island chicory has tolerated temperatures in the high twenties under shade cloth. This plant may be drought deciduous, but occasional water will help keep it green.