The common name of Calylophus hartwegii is Sundrops. That’s considerably easier to say and I suspect that the common name covers a few species of Calylophus. This is a plant that has a very successful commercial landscape history so don’t be surprised to see it in highway medians or in front of your bank. In the wild look for it in rocky areas at around 5,000’ in elevation in the counties of southeastern Arizona. For some reason seeing it in the wild is more fun than in front of a bank.
Eupatorium greggii has the new botanical name of Conoclinum greggii, but the common name is still Gregg’s Mist Flower. In the wild it doesn’t seem very picky about location and I’ve seen it in thick grassland near the Chiricahuas or on a dry rocky slope in the Dragoons. It’s another wild native that has been tamed for landscape use and it is a lot of fun in a yard, especially when the Queen butterflies come calling. And they will.
Nama hispidum is an annual that occurs pretty much throughout Arizona and of course it is found across the borders in many directions. Native plants have no manners and seem to do whatever they want. In the wild look for it below 5,000′, and usually in sandy soil, but I’ve see it blooming on dry rocky slopes too, apparently not knowing it should be in sandy soil. What a rascal!
Notes: The photos are mine. I wish I had room for 3 or 4 photos of each plant. And this: I sell native plants at the Bisbee Farmers’ Market almost every Saturday spring through fall.
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