This soft, silvery-green Texas native can handle your hottest garden spotsand it’s a snap to grow.
Woolly stemodia(Stemodia lanata) is native to the coastal regions ofSouthern Texasand Northern Mexico.
The plants signature velvety, silver-gray foliagea cooling element inhigh-heat landscapesresists deer and needs little care to stay green.
Marty Baldwin.
In cool zones, it is avaluable container plantthat will readily tumble over the edge of a pot.
That makes it a good choice for garden spots where other plants can’t take the heat.
Place it along parking curbs and driveways or at the edge of hot, reflective patios.
Marty Baldwin.
Plant it among otherlow-water plantsfor a color- and texture-rich year-round garden.
you could plant woolly stemodia any time of year in zones 10 and 11.
Before you begin, dig into the soil just deep enough to accommodate the plant’s root system.
Remove your woolly stemodia from its container and use your fingers to gently loosen the roots from the soil.
Water gently to avoid displacing the soil.
If you are planting more than one woolly stemodia, place them 24 to 36 inches apart.
Richard Hirneisen.
you could also grow woolly stemodia in containers filled withwell-drained potting soil.
Pair woolly stemodia with plants that havesimilar water needsfor a successful container combination.
Or plant it alone to meet its minimal water needs with ease.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
The flowering groundcover is evergreen in Zones 10 and 11.
It is hardy, although deciduous, in Zones 8 and 9.
Soil and Water
Woolly stemodia preferswell-drained soilthat is acidic to calcareous.
Edward Gohlich.
The easy-to-grow groundcover can tolerate a variety of soils, but will begin to rot in soggy soil.
Water your woolly stemodia plants gently, but well after planting.
Once established, only water during extreme drought or when the top two inches of soil are dry.
Denny Schrock.
Overwatering causes woolly stemodia to take on a leggy, thin appearance.
Temperature and Humidity
Woolly stemodia is extremely heat and drought-tolerant.
It prefers arid tocoastal climateswith temperatures between 60 and 90 Fahrenheit.
Credit:Denny Schrock
In prolonged heatwaves (with temperatures above 90 Fahrenheit), it may wilt during daylight hours.
If it doesn’t recover, consider supplemental watering or moving the plant to a protected area.
Wooly stemodia is hardy to zone 8 but may die back in cold winters.
Fertilizer
Woolly stemodia does not require fertilizer.
In cooler climates, woolly stemodia may die back in the winter.
If it does, prune the top growth in late winter.
Potting and Repotting
Woolly stemodia works beautifully in containers andhanging baskets.
To begin, choose a well-draining pot large enough for your plant to double in size.
Before adding soil, add a layer of pebbles to the bottom of the pot.
This will improve drainage, which is vital for the success of your plant.
Water gently and place in a bright, sunny area.
Plan to repot your woolly stemodia annually or when it doubles in size.
It is, however, prone to fungal diseases when overwatered or grown in shady locations.
How to Propagate Woolly Stemodia
Woolly stemodia colonizes via stolons.
That means it sends out stems with nodes that root where they touch the soil.
So, the easiest way to propagate it is to snip off a rooted stem and transplant it.
Dig up the new section and usesharp, sterile shearsto cut the offshoot from the parent plant.
Place the new plant in a separate location immediately.
Blazing star grows 1 to 3 feet tall in zones 3-9 and thrives in poor soil conditions.
Like woolly stemodia, it suffers in soggy soil.
Feathery Cassia
Feathery cassiais an Australian native that adds flashes of yellow to desert landscapes.
Like woolly stemodia, it thrives in full sun and needs little irrigation.
Feathery cassia also makes an excellentfoundation plantingjust be wary of its thorny canes.
It is rugged enough to stand up to harsh summer conditions and grows best in full sun.
The herbaceous, clump-forming plant has a long taproot that cant tolerate soggy soil.
Otherwise, it requires little maintenance beyond the occasional trim to keep it tidy.
Lambs ear fares best in poor, well-drained soil and full sun.
Like woolly stemodia, it is quite drought-tolerant and prefers full sun exposure.
The delicate, fountain-like grass grows 1 to 3 feet tall in zones 6-10 and readily self-seeds.
For this reason, it is emerging as invasive in some regions (like California).
Check with your state extension service before planting.
Prickly Pear Cactus
Prickly pear cactusis an obvious choice for desert and dry, coastal landscapes.
It makes an excellent choice forxeriscape gardens.
Like woolly stemodia, prickly pear cactus prefers neutral to slightly acidic well-drained soil.
But somewhat surprisingly, its hardy to zone 4.
The bloomstriggered by high humidity or low atmospheric pressureare said to be a harbinger of rain.
Like woolly stemodia, it struggles in wet, cooler weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
No.
It stands up to heat and drought, but won’t survive heavy foot traffic.
For high-traffic areasconsider something sturdierlikecreeping thyme,moss rose, orsnow-in-summer.
Deer tend to avoid woolly stemodia, so it’s a great option for borders that protect tastier plants.
Woolly stemodia is especially popular with bees and butterflies because it bears beautifully fragrant flowers from summer to fall.
