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 Yellow Sand Verbena (Abronia latifolia) | ||||||||||||
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Abronia, the sand-verbena, is a genus of about 35-40 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the family Nyctaginaceae. Despite the common name, they are not related to the vervains (Verbena, family Verbenaceae).
They are native to western North America, from Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming south to west Texas, California and northern Mexico, growing on dry sandy soils. They make very attractive garden plants for hot, dry sandy sites.
- Selected species
- Abronia alpina
- Abronia ameliae
- Abronia ammophila
- Abronia angustifolia
- Abronia argillosa
- Abronia bigelovii
- Abronia bolackii
- Abronia carletonii
- Abronia cycloptera
- Abronia elliptica
- Abronia fragrans
- Abronia latifolia
- Abronia macrocarpa
- Abronia maritima
- Abronia mellifera
- Abronia nana
- Abronia pogonantha
- Abronia turbinata
- Abronia umbellata
- Abronia villosa
Cultivation and uses
The stout, sweet root of Abronia fragrans and Abronia latifolia, sometimes over 60 cm long, can be eaten as a root vegetable.
References and external links
- Galloway, LA. 1976. Systematics of the North American desert species of Abronia and Tripterocalyx (Nyctaginaceae). Brittonia 27 (4): 328-347 (1975 publ. 1976)
- Flora of North America: Abronia