Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) is a gorgeous, lively wild thing that’s certain to make your heart glow. A dizzy bulk of fine-textured branches, ever-blooming white flowers and gaudy plumed seed heads make this native shrub a yearlong advantage for dry landscapes and landscapes.
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
Botanical name: Fallugia paradoxa
Common name: Apache plume
USDA zones: 3 to 10 (find your zone)
broad range: 3,500 to 8,000 feet
Water necessity: Very drought tolerant once established
moderate requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall; 3 to 5 feet wide
Advantages and tolerances: Extremely heat and drought tolerant
When to plant: Spring through early fall
Seasonal interest: White flowers and “feather duster” seed heads during summer; semievergreen foliage in winter
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
Distinguishing attributes. Shaggy, whitish branches and clusters of small, bright green leaves produce a wild-looking, tangled texture. Rose-like, solitary white flowers, roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter, appear in spring and continue until frost.
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
Plumed seed heads look and persist into the winter. These silky tassels are cream to pink color and are especially beautiful when compared with sunlight.
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
The best way to use it. The compact structure of the plant makes it a great hideout for small birds, and its ever-blooming character brings bees and other pollinating insects.
Use it in small groupings or as one specimen in a naturalized garden, or as a background for xeric perennials. Low-key companion plants such as rug-type junipers (Juniperus horizontalis), hybrid manzanitas like Manzanita coloradensis or wooly speedwell (Veronica pectinata) enables Apache plume to flaunt her assets.
Jocelyn H. Chilvers
Planting notes. Apache plume is native to the mountains and mid to large deserts of the American West from Colorado to California, and south into Mexico. Well-drained soil of low fertility — such as sandy loam or gravel — is perfect, and full sun is crucial. Plants may be pruned if necessary in spring. Water the plants moderately until water once per month during the summer. When it’s overwatered, Apache plume performs.
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