Fallugia

( fah - LOO - jee - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of shrubs is also called Apache Plume or Ponil and includes just one species which requires full sun and little water to perform well in the landscape. It is native to California deserts, the southwestern United States, and Mexico, reaching 4-6 feet tall and 5 feet wide at maturity. The bark is yellow-gray and flaky, leaves are dark green, and flowers resemble white roses. Feathery seed heads follow flowers, starting out green and turning reddish when mature. Shrubs in this genus grow well in USDA hardiness zones 4-10 or Sunset growing zones 2-23 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map).

Caring for fallugia

Plant Fallugia in a space in the landscape that receives full sun to partial shade; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. In the warmest climates, ensure these shrubs get some afternoon shade when temperatures are at their peak (typically between 2 and 3 PM). Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 6.0 and 8.5 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline). These shrubs generally prefer rocky or sandy soils, needing excellent drainage to perform well in the landscape. If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water new plantings regularly (about once a week) as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants are considered drought-tolerant, able to get by on rainwater alone for much of the year with supplemental waterings during extended periods of drought.

Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season, and remove spent flower spikes to neaten up the appearance of plants and encourage reblooms. Fallugia shrubs have the potential to reseed aggressively in the landscape in optimal conditions, and deadheading can discourage this tendency. Apache Plume really does not need regular prunings. To prune to rejuvenate, cut back the entire plant to 1/3 its size in late wintertime. These shrubs are long-lived perennials, able to survive in the landscape for 10 to 15 years before needing to be replaced.

Propagation

Apache Plume can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Fallugia by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Fallugia by Seed

Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork.
The best potting medium for seed germination is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Apache Plume plants are pretty easy to spot, they have fluffy tentacle-like attachments (see the photos below). They will be ready to harvest in late summer or fall. Remove them from the shrub and place them in a paper bag in a cool, dark place. They will continue to ripen, and eventually remove themselves from their pods.
Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Fallugia paradoxa seeds are contained in fluffy seed heads.

Apache Plume seeds.

Problems and Pests

Apache Plume doesn't suffer from many pest or disease issues. For more information on commonly encountered pests and diseases in the home garden, consult the following pages:

Pests & Pest Management

Plant Issues