Sweetly fragrant, Abronia fragrans (Fragrant Sand Verbena) is an upright or sprawling herbaceous perennial adorned with showy snowballs, 3 in. across (7 cm), packed with 25-70 funnel-shaped flowers. Blooming from spring through early fall, the vanilla scented flowers are usually white, but are sometimes green, lavender or pink. Borne atop sticky hairy stems, they open in the late afternoon, remain open all night and then close in the morning. They attract butterflies and rise above the foliage of bright green, wavy-margined, hairy leaves. Native to sandy soils, this southwestern plant can be planted as a showy groundcover, in rock gardens or at the foreground of the perennial border.

• Grows up to 1-3 ft. high (30-90 cm) and 1-3 ft. wide (30-90 cm).
• Performs best in part shade in sandy, dry, well-drained soils. Drought tolerant.
• Great for rock gardens, rocky hillside, meadows, prairies, savannas, woodlands edge, sandy plains, native plant gardens.
• Virtually pest and disease free.
• Propagate by fall-sown seed in mild-winter areas.
• Native from Arizona to Texas, north to Canada.