prairie wildflower
Illinois bundleflower
Desmanthus illinoensis
Also known as Bundleflower, Prairie Bundle Flower, Prickleweed, Illinois Desmanthus, Prairie Mimosa
Native to much of the USA
South Carolina to Alabama, Texas and eastern Colorado, north to Illinois, southwestern Minnesota and North Dakota
- Light Full sun Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moist Moisture preference
- Zones n/a Cold to heat range
- Bloom May–Sep Flowering time
- Height up to 5 ft to 1.5 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A prairie wildflower for full sun and evenly moist soil. At up to 5 ft, it needs room in meadows and sunny borders.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee also Western Honey Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee, American Bumble Bee
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Much of the USAUnited States (23): AL, AR, CO, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, OH, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, WI. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- South Carolina to Alabama, Texas and eastern Colorado, north to Illinois, southwestern Minnesota and North DakotaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sunHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Soil
- Various soils. Does not tolerate coarse sands or dense claysThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 5.0–8.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 5 ft (to 1.5 m)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 12+ in (30+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- May–SepWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- WhiteThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- SeedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.1 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- HighHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.