Common names:
Trailing four o'clock, trailing windmills
Family:
Scientific name:
Allionia incarnata
Main flower color:
Range:
South California and south Nevada, east as far as south Texas
Height:
Just a few inches; plants grow sideways, close to the ground, with stems up to 3 feet long
Habitat:
Sand or gravel environments, at relatively low elevations
Leaves:
Ovate, up to 2 inches long. Leaves and their stems are covered with fine hairs, giving a fuzzy appearance
Season:
April to September
Allionia incarnata is an easily-recognized species that produces long stalks growing along the ground, with bright pink flowers at intervals, amongst larger green leaves. What appears to be a single flower is actually a cluster of three, each with three petals, split at the ends, so the overall appearance is of a flower with 18 petals. Stamens are reddish-pink, topped with small, spherical yellow anthers. Leaves are often reddish at the edge, and tend to have wavy margins. The plant favors sunny, semi-desert locations, ranging between south California and Texas.
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