PRINCE'S PLUME

Stanleya pinnata

Mustard Family (Cruciferae)

A tall, handsome plant, prince’s plume can be a real show stopper when mature and in full bloom, as it forms large clumps with multiple flowering stalks to three feet tall. The flowering stalks resemble bright yellow bottle brushes standing over the blue-green foliage. This plant is happiest in hot, sunny exposures and in well-drained soils low in organic matter. In nature it grows in the most inhospitable badlands, where it is sometimes the only plant to be seen. It is widely distributed in the drier parts of the western United States. In a garden setting, it needs room, as it abhors the close company of other plants. In the right place, it will grow quickly and live several years, usually flowering the first year even from small planting stock and reaching full size in two or three years. But with too much water and fertility, its life may be drastically shortened. It combines well with larger desert perennials that have similar cultural requirements, including Palmer penstemon and desert needlegrass.