Stanleya pinnata (Prince’s Plume)

Stanleya pinnata (Prince’s Plume) is a stately desert perennial noted for its towering flowering stalks bearing graceful plumes of bright lemon yellow flowers. Blooming from spring to fall, the flowers are reminiscent of cleomes or spider flowers with their narrow yellow sepals which open to reveal four bright yellow petals. The stamens protrude from the flower and may approach 1 in. in length (2.5 cm). After blooming, attractive translucent seed pods remain on the racemes until they break apart to release tiny, dark, oblong seeds. The stalks are clad with soft light blue green leaves that are lance-shaped and pinnately divided. Attractive to bees, moths, hummingbirds and other insects, Prince’s Plume provides a bold splash of color in the xeric garden. Easy to grow, low care and trouble free, this is a conspicuous and beautiful wildflower which requires excellent drainage and lean soils. Native to the western United States, it occurs in many types of open habitat, including deserts, foothills, rocky cliffs, sagebrush, and prairies.

• Grows up to 5-6 ft. tall (150-180 cm) and 18-30 in. wide (45-75 cm).
• Performs best in full sun in poor, dry, sandy soil. Water sparingly once established. Extremely drought-tolerant.
• A beautiful plant for rock gardens, wildflower gardens, xeric gardens, as a background or accent plant.
• Attractive to bees, moths, hummingbirds and other insects.
• No serious pest or disease issues.
• Cut off stalks at winter’s end.
• Propagation: Cold-stratify seed for up to 90 days. Sow seed to a depth of ¼ in. in a well-drained, peat-based soil-less substrate. Transplant seedlings to individual pots as soon as roots are established and growing. .
• Native to the Great Plains and most of the western United States.