Garden Oracle / Drought and Heat Tolerant Gardening / Tucson - Phoenix - Arizona - California

Growing Fallugia paradoxa:
Apache Plume

social icons Facebook Pinterest Instagram Threads Bluesky Reddit

Description
Form: A multi-branched shrub with a casual, unkempt appearance.
Lifespan: Perennial.
Leaf retention: Deciduous.
Growth rate: Moderate to rapid.
Mature Size: 3-4' (1-1.2m) high is typical, but some wild plants exceed 6' (1.8m) tall.
Flowers: White flowers with 5 petals and yellow centers, 1-1.25" (25-32mm) wide. Individual plants have either male and female flowers, although there may be an occasional perfect (bisexual) flower at the tip of a stem.
Bloom: Spring through fall.
Fruit: Seeds (achenes) with red and white feathery plumes.
Leaves: Small, dark green.
Stems: No thorns.
Roots: Wide and deep. New shoots emerge from the central root. Apache Plume can produce rhizomes in more nutrient-rich soil that will produce new shoots (clones) a short distance from the original plant.
Wildlife: The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. The foliage is browsed by deer.
Toxic / Danger: No.
Origin: Native to Southwestern United States and Mexico.

Cultivation and Uses
USDA hardiness zones: 5-10.
Heat tolerant: Yes.
Drought tolerant: Yes.
Sun: Full sun. Avoid shade.
Soil: Well draining, dry, pH 5.6-8.5 (acidic to alkaline). This plant is adapted to poor soil. Fertilization and soil amendments should be avoided, because those will result in rampant rhizome growth leading to many new shoots appearing that will quickly form a thicket.
Water once established: Monthly during drought. To encourage blooming during the hottest months of the year, water more often, but this is not required for survival.
Planting: Plant in unamended soil. Apache Plume is easily grown in containers that are very well draining.
First Year Care: Water weekly to establish a strong root system, then taper off when new growth appears.
Prune: Cut the oldest stems to the ground in late winter to rejuvenate. This plant blooms on new wood, so cut 1/4" (6-7mm) above stem nodes when trimming, and cut back no more than one-third of the stem length.
Litter: Low.
Propagation: When sowing seed, the plumes should be removed before planting. Apache Plume can produce new shoots from underground rhizomes.
Uses: Ornamental. Erosion control on banks and slopes.

Comments
This plant is a member of the Rose family (Rosaceae).



Do you have additional information or a different experience for these plants that you would like to share? Email info@GardenOracle.com. All contributions are welcome and appreciated.

Fallugia paradoxa: Apache Plume - flower

Fallugia paradoxa: Apache Plume - seed plumes

Fallugia paradoxa: Apache Plume

Latest update: September, 2024
© 2008-2025 by GardenOracle.com