1 / 10

Xylorhiza tortifolia

Mojave Woodyaster

Asteraceae

Mojave and Sonoran deserts, southwestern United States

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterVery Low · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Xylorhiza tortifolia is a rounded perennial subshrub reaching 1-2.5 feet (30-75 cm) tall and about as wide, with a woody base and many erect, leafy stems. The leaves are narrow, 1-3 inches (2.5-8 cm) long, gray-green, often twisted, with wavy spine-tipped margins. From late winter through spring it carries solitary daisy-like flower heads 1.5-2.5 inches (4-6 cm) across on long stalks, each with 40 or more pale lavender to violet ray florets surrounding a yellow disk. The seeds are small dry achenes topped with a tuft of bristles for wind dispersal. X. tortifolia grows on rocky slopes, desert washes, and roadside banks in the Mojave and northern Sonoran deserts. It can take up selenium from desert soils, and foliage grown on seleniferous ground can be toxic to grazing livestock. Plants are deeply rooted, drought-adapted, and resprout from the woody base after the dry season. Growth is sparse in shade and on heavy, wet soils.

Native Range

Xylorhiza tortifolia is native to the southwestern United States, mainly the Mojave Desert and northern Sonoran Desert of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. It grows on rocky slopes, canyon walls, desert washes, and roadcuts at low to middle elevations.

Suggested Uses

Xylorhiza tortifolia is grown in desert, rock, and low-water gardens, spaced 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) apart. Its large lavender daisies add early-season color to dryland plantings. It draws native bees and other pollinators in late winter and spring.

How to Identify

Identify X. tortifolia by its mounded woody-based form and narrow gray-green leaves with wavy, spine-tipped, often twisted margins. The large daisy-like heads, 1.5-2.5 inches (4-6 cm) across, carry 40 or more pale lavender ray florets around a yellow disk on long stalks. The bristle-topped seeds and desert habitat separate it from true asters of moister ground.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'6"

Width/Spread1' - 2'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Winter Spring

Flowering runs from late winter through spring, generally March to May, with scattered bloom after summer rains. Solitary lavender daisy-like heads open on long stalks over several weeks. Bristly wind-borne seeds follow.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Lavender with yellow center

Foliage Description

Gray-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 - 8.0(Alkaline)

357912

Soil Types

sand rocky

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

Xylorhiza tortifolia grows in full sun in dry, fast-draining sandy, gravelly, or rocky soil with a pH from 6.5 to 8.0. It is deeply drought-adapted and needs little to no supplemental water once established. Plants resprout from the woody base after the dry season and are sensitive to overwatering and heavy clay. In zones 8 to 10 it grows outdoors year-round in desert and low-water gardens. Foliage grown on selenium-rich soils can be toxic to grazing livestock. Growth thins in shade and in soils that hold moisture.

Pruning

Light shearing after the main spring bloom removes spent flower stalks and keeps the subshrub rounded. Cutting back leggy stems in late winter encourages denser growth. Hard pruning into bare old wood may not regrow.

Pruning Schedule

late spring