Other Names:  Dwarf Desert Honeysuckle, Pinkie Anisacanth

Description:

A sprawling native Texas shrub, producing vivid pink tubular flowers with recurved lobes in early spring, before the foliage, then occasionally in summer and fall; adaptable and very drought tolerant, handles reflected heat well

Ornamental Features

Pinky Anisacanthus features showy pink tubular flowers at the ends of the branches in early spring before the leaves. It has green deciduous foliage. The pointy leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color.

Landscape Attributes

Pinky Anisacanthus is an open multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spreading
• Self-Seeding

Pinky Anisacanthus is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Pinky Anisacanthus will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is native to parts of North America..