Intro: Erect to leaning, sometimes bushy annual found on granitic flatrocks, diabase barrens, calcareous barrens, thin soils around other rock outcrops and disturbed, sandy soil.
Stems: Stems branched, densely covered with silvery scales with reddish-brown centers.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, short-petiolate to sessile, linear to elliptic, to 1 1/2 in. long, folded during dry weather, upper surface green and covered with star-shaped hairs.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers separate in small, fuzzy clusters at stem ends, with male and female flowers separate; male flowers at summit of short spikes, consisting of 5 tiny petals, 5 tiny sepals and 5 stamens; female flowers at base of spikes, consisting a tiny 3- to 5-lobed calyx (no petals) and 2 divided styles.
Fruits: Fruit a tiny, ellipsoid capsule sparsely covered with star-shaped hairs.
Comments: The similar Croton michauxii differs in having slightly longer flower clusters (1/3-1 1/2 in. vs. less than 1/3 in.) and fuzzier fruits.
Height: 6-14 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect to leaning, sometimes bushy annual found on granitic flatrocks, diabase barrens, calcareous barrens, thin soils around other rock outcrops and disturbed, sandy soil.
stems: Stems branched, densely covered with silvery scales with reddish-brown centers.
leaves: Leaves alternate, short-petiolate to sessile, linear to elliptic, to 1 1/2 in. long, folded during dry weather, upper surface green and covered with star-shaped hairs.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers separate in small, fuzzy clusters at stem ends, with male and female flowers separate; male flowers at summit of short spikes, consisting of 5 tiny petals, 5 tiny sepals and 5 stamens; female flowers at base of spikes, consisting a tiny 3- to 5-lobed calyx (no petals) and 2 divided styles.
fruits: Fruit a tiny, ellipsoid capsule sparsely covered with star-shaped hairs.
comments: The similar Croton michauxii differs in having slightly longer flower clusters (1/3-1 1/2 in. vs. less than 1/3 in.) and fuzzier fruits.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: