• Photo of Abronia fragrans (Abronia fragranss)

Plant Profile: Abronia fragrans

Taxonomy: Abronia fragrans

Names

Fragrant Sand Verbena, Fragrant Sand-verbena, Fragrant Verbena, Fragrent White Sand Verbena, Heart's Delight, Prairie Snowball, Sand Verbena, Snowball Sand Verbena, Snowball Verbena, Sweet Sand-verbena, Wild Lantana

  • Photo of Abronia fragrans (Abronia fragranss)

Phonetic Spelling:a-BRO-nee-uh FRAY-granz

Genus:Abronia

Species:fragrans

Family:Nyctaginaceae

Abronia fragrans, commonly known as Fragrant Sand-verbena, is a delightful herbaceous perennial belonging to the four o'clock family, which is recognized for its tendency to bloom later in the day. This plant thrives in dry, sandy environments, including woodlands, open spaces, sandy plains, meadows, and pastures, typically at elevations ranging from 1,300 to 6,500 feet. It features sprawling, sticky, hairy stems and erect flower stalks adorned with striking clusters of white flowers, which may also appear in shades of green, lavender, or pink. The blossoms unfurl in the late afternoon, remain open throughout the night, and close by morning. With a taproot system, this plant can spread between 1 to 3 feet wide and is an excellent choice for rock gardens, where its vibrant flowers can attract butterflies.

**Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Issues:**

Currently, there are no reported diseases or insect-related issues affecting this plant.

Abronia fragrans Feature Summary

Abronia fragrans Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#white flowers
#wildlife plant
#nectar plant
#rock gardens
#late spring flowers
#early spring flowers
#mid-summer flowers
#mid-spring flowers
#early summer flowers
#late summer flowers
#butterfly friendly
#early fall flowers
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats
#meadows
#woodlands

Similar Plants

Abronia fragrans Feature Summary

Attributes
Native Americans used the Sand-verbena flowers and roots for stomach and bowel problems and, when cooked and ground into a powder, mixed with corn. It was named a ‘life’ medicine that could be used to give one a good appetite and make one fat. A cold infusion was used as a lotion for mouth sores and to bathe hot tired feet.
Central United States to Mexico
The Great Plains, from Montana and North Dakota south to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
Flowers attract butterflies.
Perennial
Fruit
Egg-shaped achenes about 0.1 of an inch long, lustrous, and black or brown. The achene is enclosed within a leathery top-shaped calyx base which may or may not be winged.
Brown/Copper
Black
Flowers
Showy white, (sometimes, pink, purple or green) heads are 2 inches across and bloom from April to September. Numerous blossoms are held in ball-shaped clusters at the ends of the sticky-hairy, branched stems. Each flower is an elongated trumpet shape – a long narrow tube topped by five small lobes. The base of the tube are pink and the sepals may also have a pink tint. Beneath the flower head, at the top of the stem are five thin yellowish-green bracts. The flowers only open in the cool evening and give off a fragrance of vanilla.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Green
Fragrant
Showy
Long Bloom Season
Spring
Summer
Fall
1-3 inches
Leaves
The 3 inch long and 1 1/2 inch wide leaves are bright green, with a reddish tint at the base. They are very hairy especially at the lower surface of the leaf.
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Stem
Thick sticky stems are covered with short hairs.
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herbaceous Perennial
Erect
Spreading
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Very Dry
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Rock Garden
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Garden for the Blind
Nighttime Garden
Mass Planting
Drought
Insect Pests
Woodland
Meadow
Slope/Bank
Rock Wall
Butterflies
Pollinators

Abronia fragrans Attributes

Abronia fragrans: Uses (Ethnobotany)

Native Americans used the Sand-verbena flowers and roots for stomach and bowel problems and, when cooked and ground into a powder, mixed with corn. It was named a ‘life’ medicine that could be used to give one a good appetite and make one fat. A cold infusion was used as a lotion for mouth sores and to bathe hot tired feet.

Abronia fragrans: Country Or Region Of Origin

Central United States to Mexico

Abronia fragrans: Distribution

The Great Plains, from Montana and North Dakota south to Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

Abronia fragrans: Wildlife Value

Flowers attract butterflies.

Abronia fragrans: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

drought

Abronia fragrans: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Abronia fragrans: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Abronia fragrans Fruit

Abronia fragrans: Fruit Description

Egg-shaped achenes about 0.1 of an inch long, lustrous, and black or brown. The achene is enclosed within a leathery top-shaped calyx base which may or may not be winged.

Abronia fragrans: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Abronia fragrans: Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Brown/Copper

Abronia fragrans: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Abronia fragrans: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Abronia fragrans Flowers

Abronia fragrans: Flower Description

Showy white, (sometimes, pink, purple or green) heads are 2 inches across and bloom from April to September. Numerous blossoms are held in ball-shaped clusters at the ends of the sticky-hairy, branched stems. Each flower is an elongated trumpet shape – a long narrow tube topped by five small lobes. The base of the tube are pink and the sepals may also have a pink tint. Beneath the flower head, at the top of the stem are five thin yellowish-green bracts. The flowers only open in the cool evening and give off a fragrance of vanilla.

Abronia fragrans: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Green
filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
White

Abronia fragrans: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Abronia fragrans: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Abronia fragrans: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Abronia fragrans: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Abronia fragrans: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Abronia fragrans Leaves

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Description

The 3 inch long and 1 1/2 inch wide leaves are bright green, with a reddish tint at the base. They are very hairy especially at the lower surface of the leaf.

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Abronia fragrans: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Abronia fragrans: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Abronia fragrans Stem

Abronia fragrans: Stem Description

Thick sticky stems are covered with short hairs.

Abronia fragrans: Stem Color

grass
Green

Abronia fragrans: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Abronia fragrans: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Abronia fragrans Whole Plant Traits

Abronia fragrans: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Abronia fragrans: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Abronia fragrans: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Abronia fragrans: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Abronia fragrans Cultural Conditions

Abronia fragrans: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Abronia fragrans: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Abronia fragrans: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Abronia fragrans: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Abronia fragrans: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Abronia fragrans: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Abronia fragrans Landscape

Abronia fragrans: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Abronia fragrans: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Abronia fragrans: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Abronia fragrans: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Abronia fragrans: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees