Leucophyllum frutescens
Common names: CENIZA, SENISA, ASHPLANT, WILD-LILAC Texas desert: (Leucophyllum frutescens). Lilac-violet. August-October. (Leucophyllum texanum). Violet-purple. August-October. Figwort family. Size: Bushy shrub, 3 to 4 feet high.
In southern Texas, thick patches of this shrub are sometimes found, although they commonly occur singly or a few together, usually on limestone soils. Since the leaves are a light gray-green, plants appear to be ashy in color, giving rise to the name “Ceniza,” meaning “ashy.” Spectacular in Big Bend National Park.
So sensitive is this plant to moisture, that it may burst into blossom within a few hours after a soaking rain, this phenomenon giving rise to the local belief that the plant actually blossoms before the rain, thereby forecasting precipitation; hence the name “Barometerbush.” During recent years, Ceniza has become one of the popular native shrubs used in landscaping.
Under normal conditions, plants blossom in September.
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Erodium texanum
Erodium cicutarium
Common names: FILEREE OR FILAREE, HERONBILL, (ALFILERIA) Arizona and Texas deserts: (Erodium texanum). Pink-violet. February-March. California desert. (Erodium cicutarium). Rose-violet. February-March. Geranium family. Size: 3 to 12 inches high.
Believed to have been introduced from the Mediterranean countries at an early date by the Spaniards, Alfileria is now widespread and extensively naturalized throughout the Southwest. In the desert, it is one of the common winter annuals and furnishes excellent spring forage especially following moist winters. The plants remain green for only a few weeks, but are good forage even after the stems have dried.
Although the blossoms are not large nor sufficiently numerous to make a colorful display, they are attractive and welcome, as they are among the first spring flowers to put in an appearance. “Tails” of the fruits are long and slender, somewhat resembling a Heron’s bill, and upon maturity twist into a tight spiral when dry. Upon becoming moist, they uncoil, driving the sharp-tipped seeds into the soil. Seeds are gathered and stored by Ants which discard the husks and coiled “tails” outside their nests, thus building up a circular band of chaff around the Ant-hill.
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