Stenaria nigricans
diamond-flowers
Central and southern United States and northern Mexico
Overview
Stenaria nigricans is a wiry, clump-forming perennial in the madder family growing 6-16 inches (15-40 cm) tall from a woody base, with many slender, branching stems. The narrow, needle-like leaves are 0.4-1.5 inches (1-4 cm) long, opposite, and stiff, often turning dark on drying, which gives the species its name. From spring through fall the stems carry many small, four-petaled flowers about 0.25 inch (6 mm) across, white to pale pink or lavender with a darker throat, the petals spreading in a flat cross or diamond shape. The plant blooms over a long season, opening fresh flowers as older ones fade. S. nigricans grows on dry limestone glades, rocky prairies, and gravelly slopes across the central and southern United States and into Mexico. Its deep root lets it withstand heat, drought, and thin, alkaline soil where many plants fail. It needs sharp drainage and full sun and rots in rich, wet ground. The wiry clumps are long-lived but stay small, with an airy look rather than bold color.
Native Range
Stenaria nigricans is native to the central and southern United States, from the Great Plains and Texas east to the Mississippi valley, and into northern Mexico. It grows on limestone glades, rocky prairies, bluffs, and dry, gravelly slopes.Suggested Uses
Stenaria nigricans is used in rock gardens, gravel gardens, dry native plantings, and on hot, lean slopes. Its long bloom and airy texture suit crevices and the front of dry borders. The flowers feed small native bees and butterflies through the season.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 1'4"
Width/Spread8" - 1'
Reaches mature size in approximately 1 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white to pale lavenderFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Stenaria nigricans grows in full sun and dry, sharply drained rocky, gravelly, or sandy soil, often over limestone. Its deep root carries it through heat and drought with no added water once established. It needs lean, alkaline to neutral soil and rots in rich, damp, or poorly drained ground. The plant stays compact and tolerates wind and reflected heat from rock. It self-seeds modestly in open gravel but is slow to spread and easy to keep in bounds. Cold winters cause the top to die back, with new shoots from the woody base in spring.Pruning
Little pruning is needed. Shearing the clump lightly after the main flush tidies it and can prompt more bloom. Stems can be cut back in late winter before new growth starts.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons