Plant of the Month Pages
| Common Name(s): | Fiesta Flower |
| Scientific Name: | Pholistoma auritum |
| Family: | Boraginaceae (Waterleaf) |
| Plant Type: | Annual |
| Size: | up to 3 feet |
| Habitat: | shady areas, common throughout most plant communities |
| Blooms: | March to May |
| Fire Response: | Seeds Only |
Fiesta flower is an annual herb with succulent foliage and pretty lavendar flowers. Its common name stems from a characteristic of the plant's branches: covered with backward-pointing bristles, they act like velcro, sticking to most any fabric. In the time of Spanish ranchos, Señoritas would adorn their party dresses with sprigs of the flowers (fiesta means party in Spanish).
The purple flowers are about an inch in diameter, with 5 petals and 5 sepals. They bloom from March to May. Leaves are hairy, cleft and lance-ovate, resembling dandelions or arugula. The foliage has a fresh green color and the plant has a tangled or straggly appearance overall.
The genus name Pholistoma means "scaly-mouthed" and is given because of scales in the flowers' throats. The species name auritum means "eared" and describes how the base of each leaf clasps the stems. Like other members in the Waterleaf family, these plants are common after fire.
Contributed by Liz Baumann
