You’ll love this pollinator magnet
This plant is deer and rabbit resistant, attracts butterflies and hummingbirds, tolerates challenging soil types, and is delightfully colorful. It might sound too good to be true, but Texas plume has it all. Native to much of the Gulf Coast, central Texas, and Oklahoma, this plant is sure to draw attention from gardeners and wildlife alike. Towering 4 to 6 feet tall in some situations, Texas plume bursts open in late spring through midsummer with tubular blooms that are often the shade of scarlet lipstick. Feathery, fine-textured leaves and a vertical habit add to its charisma.
Beautiful as a specimen or planted in masses, its flowers range from yellow to orange to red, but a vibrant cherry hue with light speckling is the most common. Its slender form takes up very little garden space, so it can be easily tucked away between more robust companions. Few plants in the world are so perfectly suited for a gardener who loves hummingbirds and butterflies. The nectar-rich flowers are plentiful, with months-long blooming providing ample sugary resources for winged visitors.
Learn more: Best Summer-Flowering Plants for Texas and Other Drought-Prone Areas
Texas plume adapts well to a variety of soil types including sand, gravel, and loam, with the only requirement being good drainage. It prefers full sun and may need to be staked or planted among other plants to stay upright in shadier situations. It is also extremely drought tolerant, rarely needing supplemental water after establishment even in the driest soil. Reliably hardy to Zone 6, it can be successfully grown in Zone 5 in a sheltered spot.
Start Texas plume from seed for best results
Very uncommon at garden centers, this plant is best started from seed. You can direct-sow in fall, or sow it into pots and provide a 30-day cold period to improve germination. Texas plume is a biennial; growing as a small ferny rosette in its first year, it makes a stunning semi-evergreen ground cover. In year two you’ll be rewarded with rocketing spikes of flowers. After blooming, khaki-colored fruits decorate the stems. Overall, Texas plume is a gorgeous addition that just about any gardener can fall in love with.
Texas plume
Ipomopsis rubra
Zones: 6–9
Conditions: Full sun; well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
Native Range: Southeastern United States
Try a fresh take on a classic native:
‘Sugar Kisses’ goldenrod
Looking for a perennial with a blend of vigor and versatility? Check out this refined goldenrod hybrid. This plant grows from neat basal clumps of narrow, strap-like foliage before sturdy stems rise in summer. Its lime yellow buds open to airy white flowers with soft, creamy centers, offering a lighter take on traditional goldenrods. Adaptable to most soils and easy to grow, ‘Sugar Kisses’ will have you swooning when planted in mixed borders and paired with fine grasses. An excellent cut flower, it lasts a week or more in arrangements, whether harvested in bud or bloom.
‘Sugar Kisses’ goldenrod
Solidago ‘Sugar Kisses’
Zones: 5–8
Size: 18 to 24 inches tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun; average, well-drained soil
Native Range: North American native hybrid
Plant Sources:
David McKinney is the curator of collections and grounds at the Iowa Arboretum & Gardens.
Texas plume courtesy of David McKinney. Illustration by Elara Tanguy.
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