Common names:
Desert sand verbena, hairy sand verbena
Family:
Scientific name:
Abronia villosa
Main flower color:
Range:
The Mojave and Sonoran deserts, and neighboring areas of south California
Height:
Up to 20 inches, but grows laterally
Habitat:
Sandy areas in deserts, and adjacent foothills
Leaves:
Thick, greyish green, hairy, ovate,, up to 1.5 inches long
Season:
February to May
Both stems and leaves of abronia villosa are noticeably hairy, and grow close to the ground, often partly obscured by grass or sand, but producing large, dense clumps. The spherical inflorescence has a ring of papery bracts at the base, and consists of between 15 and 35 flowers. Each flower is formed of a narrow reddish-pink tube (also hairy on the outside) that opens into five lobes which are white around the base and pink elsewhere. Lobes are divided into two, and the edges are somewhat irregular. The inside of the tube is yellowish. The plant grows in desert areas from near sea level to over 3,000 feet.
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