Wikimedia CommonsApache plume
Fallugia paradoxa
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Elevation:
- 3,500 ft – 8,000 ft
- Bloom:
- Apr – Sep
- Region:
- Southwest
A sprawling native shrub that carries white single-rose flowers and feathery pink seed-head plumes at the same time all summer — the plumes are the 'Apache' feathers the name refers to.
Care · tuned to the Southwest
Water
Very drought tolerant once rooted. A monthly deep soak in the first summer, then only during extended drought. Blooms and plumes both increase with the monsoon.
Sun & exposure
Full sun. Handles reflected heat off walls and pavement well.
Soil
Lean, gritty, fast-draining alkaline soil. Tolerates caliche and rocky slopes; dislikes rich clay that holds water.
In the Southwest
Suckers to form loose colonies — useful for erosion control on a slope, a nuisance in a tidy bed. Prune lightly after the main spring flush to shape.
Common problems & fixes
Root rot from overwatering — rich or poorly drained soil and frequent water kill it
Fix — Site in lean, gritty, well-drained soil and water sparingly; it thrives on near-neglect once established.
Aggressive suckering — spreads by root suckers into an unwanted thicket
Fix — Dig or prune out suckers as they appear to keep it contained.
Pets & toxicity
No known toxicity to pets.
Easy to confuse with
- Cliffrose (Purshia stansburiana) — yellowish flowers, aromatic foliage
- Wild roses — no persistent plumes
Sources
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