Heimia salicifolia is a shrub in the Loosestrife family, native from the southwestern US through Mexico and Central America to South America, known for yellow flowers and a long history of ceremonial use. It is best grown in full sun in a warm, frost-free climate with moderate watering.
Family
Lythraceae (Loosestrife family)
Grows as
Shrub
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water regularly during the growing season and let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings.
Soil
Well-drained, moderately fertile soil or a standard garden loam.
Temperature
18–32 °C; protect below 5 °C.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Toxic: The leaves and stems contain alkaloids such as lignans and quinolizidine-type compounds that are psychoactive and can cause nausea, dizziness and other effects when ingested.
Native range
SE. Texas to Mexico, S. Trop. America, Jamaica
Climate
seasonally dry tropical
About
Heimia salicifolia is a species of flowering plant in the Loosestrife family, Lythraceae. It is native to the Americas, ranging from the southwestern United States (Texas and New Mexico) through Mexico and Central America to Argentina. Common names include shrubby yellowcrest, sinicuichi, sun opener, willow-leaf heimia, sini. The plant has been used for shamanic purposes by native peoples in Central America and Mexico.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Heimia salicifolia by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.