Cecelia Alexander, no rights reserved (CC0) · iNaturalist

1 / 10

Fallugia paradoxa

apache plume

Rosaceae Southwestern North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 5–9

Overview

Fallugia paradoxa is a semi-evergreen shrub in the rose family, growing 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m) tall and wide with slender, brittle, straw-colored stems. The small leaves are deeply lobed, 0.25-0.75 inch (6-19 mm) long, green above and rusty-scaly beneath, and persist through mild winters. From spring through late summer it carries white, rose-like flowers about 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) across on slender stalks. As the flowers fade, each develops a cluster of feathery, pinkish styles 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long attached to the seeds, forming the plume-like seed heads behind the common name; these persist for weeks. It is native to the dry uplands of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, growing on rocky slopes, washes, and canyon walls. It withstands heat, drought, and poor soil but needs sharp drainage and declines in heavy or wet ground. Its open, twiggy form can look sparse without periodic renewal.

Native Range

Fallugia paradoxa is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, from California and Nevada east to Texas and south into Chihuahua and Coahuila. It grows in desert scrub, pinyon-juniper woodland, and along dry washes from about 3,000 to 8,000 feet (900-2,400 m).

Suggested Uses

Grown in desert and xeriscape gardens, on dry slopes for erosion control, and as an informal screen in arid regions. The persistent feathery seed heads extend interest after bloom. It naturalizes on rocky, low-water sites where many shrubs fail.

How to Identify

Identify by the small, deeply lobed leaves with rusty scales beneath and the slender, pale, brittle stems. White rose-like flowers about 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) across are followed by clusters of feathery pinkish plumes 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long. The persistent feathery seed heads separate it from related desert shrubs and from true Rosa spp. species.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 6'

Width/Spread3' - 6'

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~20 weeks

Spring Summer Fall

White flowers open from spring through late summer, roughly April to September, often with flowers and feathery seed plumes present at the same time. Bloom is heaviest after rains. The pink plumes hold on the shrub for several weeks after each flush.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.5 - 8.5(Alkaline)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Very Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Fallugia paradoxa in full sun and sharp-draining sandy, rocky, or gravelly soil. It withstands intense heat, drought, and wind once established and declines in clay or poorly drained ground. Water is needed only to settle young plants, then sparingly. No feeding is required in lean desert soils. The twiggy framework is renewed by cutting out old stems in late winter, which keeps the form dense. It tolerates alkaline soils and reflected heat.

Pruning

Renew the shrub by removing the oldest stems at the base in late winter to keep growth dense. Light shaping is done after the main flush of bloom. Hard shearing spoils the loose natural form and the feathery seed display.