Prince’s Plume

48-60 tall x 12-18 wide. Stanleya pinnata (Prince’s Plume) is an easy-to-identify native plant in the arid landscapes of the American West and Southwest. In summer, gray-green foliage is topped by 5-6″ spikes of bright, bold yellow. Foliage narrows and becomes lanceolate as it grows further up the flowering spikes. Flowers have a bottle-brush look, with elongated stamens and recurved sepals, or petals that form a semi-open tube. Flowers open from the bottom of the spike upward. Depending on weather, the flowering spikes of Princes Plume can last for several weeks up to a couple months. When dry they should be cut at the base and removed. Princes Plume is well suited to xeriscapes, in arid, semi-desert conditions of the west and southwest. It can be used in wetter climates, if placed in sheltered or elevated rock gardens to ensure that this native desert perennial does not suffer from too much moisture. Plant in full sun in poor to average soil.