Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red
Bloom Time: Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: NM , TX
Native Habitat: Limestone uplands from central Texas westward. Well-drained sand, clay, caliche.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Conditions Comments: Nice groundcover for xeric areas where its silvery foliage can be used to best effect. The fine ferny texture of black dalea foliage contrasts well with other plants such as prickly pear cactus and grasses. Use this fast growing, mounding shrub in any dry garden situation that calls for both flowers and a defined form.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Showy, Blooms ornamental, Aromatic, Mass planting
Use Wildlife: Nectar-bees, Nectar-insects, Cover, Browse, Leaves-rabbit.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: Sulfur butterflies, Dogface

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees
Special Value to Honey Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Propagation Material: Softwood Cuttings
Description: Keep stock plants cut back for cuttings. Cuttings have a high failure rate, so take lots.
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX

Bibliography

Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Dalea bicolor var. argyrea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Dalea bicolor var. argyrea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Dalea bicolor var. argyrea