Fallugia paradoxa
Apache plume
This delicious deciduous shrub is one of my favorite plants. I met it in the “North American” section of the rock garden at Kew. I like to remember how it smells. It smells like cream..mmmm. Maybe some would say a little like honey or bananas or Dr. Pepper. It reminds me of Erin L. because they are both from the south west. She likes the smell of creosote shrubs after it rains.
I will probably never live anywhere dry enough to grow this plant. It is hardy in zones 4-8, but prefers rocky, sandy soil at high elevations. Naturally it’s found at 4000-8000 feet. It grows 3-6 feet tall and likes full sun. Literature I read stated it blooms April to June, but the plant at Kew bloomed for a much longer period. If you had the right conditions, it could be a stellar garden plant as it is very drought tolerant and so showy. It blooms on new growth too, so even in a sketchy or rabbit infested climate you’re insured a good flush of blooms. I couldn’t find any mention of the plant’s scent.
It has 1-2 inch wide white to pink flowers that look like potentilla’s. The seed heads, for which they are named, are similar to Prairie smoke’s but larger. All of these are in the rose family, Rosaceae.
