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white meadowfoam
Scientific Name: Limnanthes alba
Family: Limnanthaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Annual
Other Names:
White Meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba)
Limnanthes alba, commonly known as white meadowfoam, is a flowering plant in the meadowfoam family. The name "Meadowfoam" comes from the plant's appearance when in full bloom, resembling a solid canopy of creamy white flowers.
Considerations for Pets
- This plant is commonly found in home gardens.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Limnanthes alba Hartw. ex Benth.
- Common Name: White meadowfoam
- Family: Limnanthaceae (Meadow-Foam Family)
- Order: Brassicales (Mustard plants)
- Subspecies: Mentions Limnanthes alba ssp. alba, Limnanthes douglasii subsp. douglasii
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to California and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
- Often found in wetland or riparian areas.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Annual herb, growing to approximately 0.2 meters (8 inches).
- Flowers typically bloom from May to June.
- Flowers are hermaphrodite (possessing both male and female reproductive organs).
- Flowers are bi-colored, white with a yellow center.
- Petals are white and range from 7-10 mm long in Big-flowered wooly meadowfoam.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Flowers attract bees and other pollinators.
Quirky Facts
- The oil extracted from the seeds is used in the cosmetic industry.
- Meadowfoam seed oil is sometimes compared to jojoba oil in terms of cost and supply.
- The appearance of fields of white meadowfoam in bloom is said to resemble white foam on the ocean.