Plants

  • Sat, 09 Jul 2011 15:05:00 +0000: Red Creek Buckwheat - Johanneshowellia puberula - A Plant a Day
     This pretty member of the Buckwheat Family (Polygonaceae) is Red Creek buckwheat (Johanneshowellia puberula), with a previous genus name of Eriogonum. It grows only in Utah, Nevada, and California from valley bottoms up to the pinyon-juniper community.

    Flowers are small and turn into little red berries. For more info about Red Creek buckwheat, click here.
  • Sat, 09 Jul 2011 05:10:00 +0000: Coyote Gilia - Aliciella triodon - A Plant a Day
     This branching plant a few inches high (up to 13 cm) is coyote gilia (Aliciella triodon), and formerly with the genus name Gilia. It's in the Phlox Family (Polemoniaceae) and grows in gravelly substrates in pinyon-juniper areas in the southwestern U.S. Flowers are white and each petal is three-lobed.

    For a description of coyote gilia, click on the Jepson manual treatment.
  • Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:01:00 +0000: Fendler's Sandmat - Chamaesyce fendleri - A Plant a Day
     This low growing plant is in a family not yet shared on this blog, the Euphoriabeceae, or Spurge Family. It's called Fendler's sandmat (Chamaesyce fendleri), with a previous genus name of Euphorbia. It grows at lower elevations in the western U.S.

    For more info about Fendler's sandmat from Southwest Colorado Wildflowers (a great resource), click here.
  • Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:31:00 +0000: Firecracker Penstemon - Penstemon eatonii - A Plant a Day
     I've been saving this flower for Fourth of July, as it's common name is Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii). It grows in the western U.S. in a variety of habitats.

     Flowers are bright red in narrow tubes.

    For more info about firecracker penstemon (and how to use it in your water wise garden), click here.
  • Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:40:00 +0000: Lavenderleaf Sundrops - Calylophus lavandulifolius - A Plant a Day
     This bright flower in the Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae) has one of the best common names I've heard: lavenderleaf sundrops (Calylophus lavandulifolius). It grows in gravels from the Plains States west to Nevada.

     Flowers are one to two inches across and bright yellow. As they fade, they turn pinkish or purplish.

    For more info about lavenderleaf sundrops, click here.