This soft , silvery - green Texas native can handle your hottest garden pip — and it ’s a piece of cake to grow .
Woolly stemodia(Stemodia lanata ) is native to the coastal regions ofSouthern Texasand Northern Mexico . originate primarily for its lovely , semi - evergreen foliage , this attender perennial bears diminutive , fragrant lavender or snowy flowers from previous summer through fall . The plant ’s signature velvety , silver - grizzly foliation — a cooling element inhigh - warmth landscapes — withstand cervid and need fiddling care to persist green . In Zones 8 to 11 where it is hardy , woolly stemodia is grown as an easy - care , drought - tolerant groundcover . In cool zone , it is avaluable container plantthat will pronto tumble over the edge of a flowerpot .
Where to Plant Woolly Stemodia
A Texas aborigine , woolly stemodia tolerates reflect heating plant and light from rock and asphalt . That makes it a good choice for garden spots where other plants ca n’t take the heat . position it along parking curb bit and drive or at the bound of hot , broody patios .
Woolly stemodia is a truexeric plant , which mean it has germinate to grow , flower , and thrive in hot , dry spots where little water is present . Plant it among otherlow - H2O plantsfor a color- and grain - rich year - troll garden . you may also consider on theseeasy - to - grow perennialsto provide excellent corrosion dominance on James Jerome Hill or coastal slopes with little to no foot dealings .
How and When to Plant Woolly Stemodia
Since most of wooly-haired stemodia ’s ontogenesis take place in spring , found it in early fountain to encourage immediate organisation . you’re able to institute woolly stemodia any prison term of year in zones 10 and 11 .
Before you get down , dig into the soil just deeply enough to fit the plant ’s root word system . take out your wooly stemodia from its container and use your fingers to mildly loosen the roots from the soil . Place your works in the hole and compensate the roots with soil , leaving the crown of the roots exposed . piss mildly to forefend displacing the soil . If you are constitute more than one woolly stemodia , place them 24 to 36 inch apart .
you may also grow woolly stemodia in containers filled withwell - drained potting soil . Pair woolly stemodia with plant that havesimilar water needsfor a successful container compounding . Or plant it alone to meet its minimum piss indigence with informality . Woolly stemodia grows fast in full sun and dry soil , so it can well fill a container with color and grain on its own .
Marty Baldwin.
Woolly Stemodia Care Tips
aboriginal to south Texas and northern Mexico , woolly stemodia thrives in estrus and ironic term . The flowering groundcover is evergreen plant in Zones 10 and 11 . It is sturdy , although deciduous , in Zones 8 and 9 .
Light
Woolly stemodia grows best in full sun but can stand light good afternoon shade — specially in extremely blistering landscapes .
Soil and Water
Woolly stemodia preferswell - run out soilthat is acidulous to chalky . The easy - to - arise groundcover can put up a variety of soil , but will begin to moulder in waterlogged dirt .
Water your woolly stemodia plant gently , but well after planting . Once install , only water during extreme drought or when the top two inch of soil are dry . Overwatering causes woolly stemodia to take on a leggy , thin show .
Temperature and Humidity
Woolly stemodia is passing heat and drought - tolerant . It choose arid tocoastal climateswith temperature between 60˚ and 90˚ Fahrenheit . In prolonged heatwaves ( with temperature above 90˚ Fahrenheit ) , it may droop during daylight hour . If it does n’t recover , consider auxiliary watering or moving the plant to a protected surface area .
Wooly stemodia is hardy to partition 8 but may decease back in insensate winter .
Fertilizer
Woolly stemodia does not require plant food .
Pruning
Woolly stemodia does not require pruning , but you could trim away unwanted , untidy growth in spring and summer if your plant grows straggly .
In cooler clime , woolly stemodia may die back in the wintertime . If it does , prune the top ontogeny in late wintertime .
Potting and Repotting
Woolly stemodia act beautifully in containers andhanging baskets . In sunny locations , the tight - rise industrial plant easily fills a container and sends 2 to 3 - pes silvery - green tendrilscascading over the side . To start , opt a well - drain pot large enough for your plant to double in size . Before adding soil , sum a layer of pebble to the bottom of the pot . This will improve drainage , which is vital for the success of your works . Fill your container with a fast - draining potting mixing and plant your woolly stemodia in the kernel leaving the diadem of the stem exposed . Water gently and shoes in a shiny , sunny area .
Plan to repot your woolly stemodia p.a. or when it doubles in size of it .
Pests and Problems
When grown in full sunlight and well - drain filth , woolly stemodia has few issues with pests beyond the occasional visit from aphid and spider mites . It is , however , prostrate to fungal diseases when overwatered or raise in shady locations .
How to Propagate Woolly Stemodia
Woolly stemodia colonizes via stolons . That means it sends out stanch with node that settle where they touch the grunge . So , the easy way to propagate it is to dress off a rooted stem and transplant it . To begin , lift the boundary of a goodly flora and look for a smirch where young roots have anchored themselves in the dirt . Dig up the new section and usesharp , sterile shearsto cut the offset from the parent industrial plant . set the new plant life in a separate location immediately . Water gently .
Woolly Stemodia Companion Plants
Blazing Star
blaze starsmake centre - charm addition to full - sun landscapes thanks to their tall steeple of purplish - pinkish blooms . When not in flush , the perennial offer touchy , smoke - like foliage that commingle attractively into prairie garden , wildflower bottom , andcottage garden landscapes . Blazing star grow 1 to 3 feet tall in zone 3 - 9 and thrives in poor soil term . Like woolly stemodia , it stand in soggy territory .
Feathery Cassia
Feathery cassiais an Australian native that adds flash of yellow to desert landscapes . Like woolly stemodia , it thrives in full sun and necessitate little irrigation . The shrub grow 3 to 8 feet tall in zones 8 - 10 and bears hundreds of tiny , fragrant bloom from late wintertime to other spring . Feathery cassia also makes an excellentfoundation planting — just be mistrustful of its burred cane .
Gaura
Gaurais a bad , drouth - tolerant aboriginal perennial that draws pollinators with its touchy pink or snowy blossoms . It is rugged enough to stand up to harsh summer circumstance and grows just in full Sunday . The herbaceous , clunk - mould plant has a foresightful taproot that ca n’t tolerate swampy soil . Otherwise , it demand small care beyond the periodic trim to keep it tidy .
Lamb’s Ear
If you ’re looking for a foggy fellow traveler for woolly-haired stemodia , look no further thanlamb ’s ear(a.k.a . Stachys byzantina ) . Like woolly stemodia , the low - develop perennial features silver - light-green leafage cover in a dense layer of flyspeck white hairs that feel silky to the touch . It develop 12 to 24 inches tall in zone 4 - 9 and often bears purple , white , ruby , or pinkish flush from late spring to early summertime . Lamb ’s capitulum fares best in inadequate , well - drained soil and full sunlight .
Mexican Feather Grass
GracefulMexican feather grass(Nassella tenuissima ) is native to North American drylands and thrives in quick - draining , lean land . Like woolly stemodia , it is quite drouth - tolerant and opt full sunlight exposure . The delicate , fountain - same grass maturate 1 to 3 substructure tall in zones 6 - 10 and readily self - seeds . For this reason , it is emerging as invasive in some regions ( like California ) . Check with your state extension service before implant .
Prickly Pear Cactus
Prickly pear cactusis an obvious choice for desert and dry , coastal landscape . It work an excellent selection forxeriscape garden . What ’s more , the flowering , evergreen plant cactus is salt- , heat- , and drought - tolerant and requires small charge once established . Like woolly stemodia , prickly pear cactus prefers neutral to slightly acidic well - drain soil . But passably surprisingly , it ’s hardy to zone 4 . That means you could grow it almost anywhere that offers full sun and well - drained gravelly soil .
Texas Sage
Denny Schrock
Texas sage(Leucophyllum frutescens ) is a resilient bush that put up a welcome splash of color to harshSouthwestern landscape . Though unrelated to theSalvia(sage ) genus , the woody , evergreen shrub occasionally bears likewise vibrant majestic flowers . The blooms — triggered by high humidity or crushed atmospheric pressure — are said to be a harbinger of pelting . Texas salvia grows 6 to 8 foot improbable in zones 8 - 10 and prefers full Lord’s Day and stony , nutrient - poor dirt . Like woolly stemodia , it struggles in wet , cooler weather .
Frequently Asked Questions
No . It stands up to oestrus and drought , but wo n’t survive heavy foot traffic . For high - traffic areasconsider something sturdierlikecreeping thyme , moss rose , orsnow - in - summertime .
Yes ! Deer tend to quash woolly stemodia , so it ’s a great option for moulding that protect tastier plants .
Yes . Woolly stemodia is especially popular with bee and butterflies because it deport beautifully fragrant flowers from summer to devolve .
Marty Baldwin.
Richard Hirneisen.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
Edward Gohlich.
Denny Schrock.
Credit:Denny Schrock
