APACHE PLUME

Fallugia paradoxa

Apache plume is a fast-growing shrub with a large, mounded growth form. It can be pruned at the base to limit its size if needed, but otherwise requires little shaping. The combination of masses of white flowers like small, single roses and feathery pink seed heads gives apache plume a long season of interest. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions and is very easy to grow. Its foliage is fine-textured, with small, deeply lobed leaves that contrast nicely with the satiny white bark on young growth. Apache plume occurs naturally only in the southern half of our region, but it is cold-hardy well into Canada. Its drought hardiness and ease of maintenance make it a good choice for parking lot islands and other hot, hard-to-water places. It combines well with other large shrubs like green mormon tea and fourwing saltbush, and also looks good with dwarf yucca and grasses like Indian ricegrass. Give this plant some room--apache plume does not stay small for long.