Native Plants
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Abronia fragrans
Abronia fragrans Nutt. ex Hook.
Fragrant Sand-verbena, Snowball Sand Verbena, Sweet Sand-verbena, Prairie Snowball, Sand Verbena, Heart's Delight
Nyctaginaceae (Four O'clock Family)
Synonym(s): Abronia fragrans var. glaucescens
USDA Symbol: ABFR2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
Hearts-delight or Sand Verbena can be an upright or widely sprawling perennial, ranging in height or width from 8-40 in. Its long, funnel-shaped flowers are usually white, but are sometimes tinged with green, lavender, or pink. Numerous blossoms are held in ball-shaped clusters at the ends of the sticky-hairy, branched stems. The flowers open in late afternoon and close in the morning.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Fruit Type: Accessory
Size Notes: Stems procumbent to semi-erect, up to about 40 inches long.
Flower: Flowers in 2 inch heads.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Pink , PurpleBloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct
Distribution
USA: AZ , CO , KS , MT , ND , NE , NM , OK , SD , TX , UT , WYNative Distribution: N. AZ to w. TX & OK, n. through Rockies and western Plains
Native Habitat: Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas, Woodlands' edge, Opening, Sandy plains
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Loose, deep, sandy soils.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Aromatic, Rock gardens, Rocky hillside, Color, Blooms ornamentalUse Wildlife: Sand verbena attracts butterflies.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Propagation
Propagation Material: SeedsDescription: Easily raised from fall-sown seed in mild-winter areas.
Seed Treatment: Germination may be enhanced by removing the seeds from the papery fruit just before planting.
Commercially Avail: yes
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Bibliography
Bibref 765 - McMillen's Texas Gardening: Wildflowers (1998) Howard, D.Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 328 - Wildflowers of Texas (2003) Ajilvsgi, Geyata.
Search More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Abronia fragrans in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Abronia fragrans in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Abronia fragrans
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-04-18Research By: DEW