California Sun Cup

An annual herb reaching up to 5′ tall, California Sun Cup grows in scrub, chaparral, and desert plant communities of the inland Southern Coast Ranges of California, stretching south and east to AZ & MX.

From finely toothed basal rosette leaves, in spring, Sun Cup sends up a slender stem topped with bright yellow blooms that often have small red speckles at their bases.

Best suited for disturbed, dry or east facing slopes, this member of the evening primrose family will reseed well where conditions are right. Sun Cup is also a host plant for the Ridings’ Forester Moth.

Lifeform: Annual

Sun: Full Sun

Water: Dry, Light

Soil: Clay, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Other: Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Drought Tolerant, Erosion Control

Ecological Value	Host plant for Ridings' Forester Moth, and likely supports several sphinx moths – Kern primrose, Phaeton, Clark's Day, and Pacific Green Sphinx moths.
Ethnobotanical Uses	N/A
Distribution	CA, AZ, and northwestern Mexico
Elevation	0" – 6112"
Communities	Chaparral, Coastal Sage Scrub, Foothill Woodland, Valley Grassland
Habitat	Disturbed sites, dry or east facing slopes.Disturbed sites, dry or east facing slopes.