Flower profile

Apache plume

Fallugia paradoxa

Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa) is a shrub in the Rosaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–October across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Apache plume is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–October.

8states where USDA records it

4Bloomipedia state lists include it

9,937U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah

Quick look

Fallugia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants containing the single species Fallugia paradoxa, which is known by the common names Apache plume and póñil. This plant is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it is found in arid habitats such as desert woodlands and scrub.
From Wikipedia's article Fallugia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Rosaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 8 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. ^NatureServe
In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–October. ^iNaturalist
In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–September. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as purple. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as late spring. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 6 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 4,405 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #6 among the 152 flowers on our New Mexico list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,290 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #41 among the 132 flowers on our Arizona list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 736 research-grade sightings of it in Utah, ranking #81 among the 153 flowers on our Utah list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (720 records)

Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
New Mexico	Native	April–October	4,405
Arizona	Native	May–September	2,290
Utah	Native	April–November	736
Nevada	Native	April–June	640

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
New Mexico: Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. ^{19.21.2.9 NMAC}
Arizona: Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arizona. ^{AAC R3-3 App. A}
Utah: No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Utah.
Nevada: Not listed Not on Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Nevada. ^{NAC 527.010}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: OK (SH). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records apache plume in 8 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah.

New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Lincoln, Los Alamos, McKinley, Mora, Otero, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Taos, Torrance, Valencia.

Arizona counties with USDA records: Cochise, Coconino, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Yavapai.

Utah counties with USDA records: Emery, Garfield, Iron, Kane, San Juan, Washington, Wayne.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Apache plume a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 7.0 to 8.0 and winter lows down to -23 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium
Soil pH range: 7.0 to 8.0
Minimum temperature tolerated: -23 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 160
Annual precipitation range: 4 to 20 inches
Minimum root depth: 10 inches
Salinity tolerance: Medium
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Rapid
Lifespan: Moderate
Active growth period: Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed: Brown · Summer to Summer
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, cuttings, seed
Commercial availability: Field Collections Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for FAPA. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 65 counties across 8 states; the most are in New Mexico (22), Texas (15), Arizona (9).

More from the Rosaceae family (103 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Toyon, Thimbleberry, Wineberry, Black raspberry.

More New Mexico flowers

Shrubby cinquefoil

Dasiphora fruticosa

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in NM

Roses (genus Rosa)

Rosa

★ NY state flower🌷 Garden flower

🌷 Grown in New Mexico gardens

Woods' rose

Rosa woodsii

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in NM

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile FAPA.
iNaturalist, Fallugia paradoxa: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Fallugia (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
Arizona: Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025).
Arizona: Arizona prohibited noxious weeds (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-4-245).
Utah: Utah noxious weed list (Utah Admin. Code R68-9-3).
Nevada: Nevada fully protected plants, critically endangered (NAC 527.010).
Nevada: Nevada noxious weeds (NAC 555.010).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Fallugia paradoxa (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Cristhian Mace via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.