Plant Min Zone: 4a
Plant Max Zone: 8b
Sunlight: All Day Full Sun, Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Very Low, Low, Average
Soil Quality: Poor, Average
Bloom Season: Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Fall
Flower Color: Magenta
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Green
Summer Foliage Color: Green
Fall Foliage Color: Green
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: High
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Low, Medium
Wind Tolerance: High
Poor Soil Tolerance: Sandy Soils, Rocky Soils
Height: 0.5' - 1'
Width: 0.5' - 1'
Growth Rate: Medium, Fast
Service Life: Long: 5-10 years
Maintenance Need: Low
Spreading Potential: Extremely Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground Around First Fall Freeze: No Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Small Grouping of 3-5, Medium Grouping of 5-10
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Survives Under Roof Overhang, Thin Roof Garden Locations, Survives Severe Drought, Tolerates Extreme Heat, Resistant to Rabbits, Top of Retaining Wall Locations
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Fine Texture, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: Root Rot Disease, Weed Competition
Plant Limitations: Needs Excellent Drainage
This tiny perennial wildflower (Talinum / Phemeranthus calycinum) produces ascending stems 2-6" long topped with bright magenta flowers. The cluster of bright green foliage at the base is only a few inches tall and resembles round tubes giving it a succulent look. Blooming occurs in mass, each flower lasting only 1 afternoon, but repeating all summer with available moisture. Fame Flower is native to a large area of the great plains to the eastern woods of Missouri and Arkansas. This cold hardy succulent occupies an unusual niche: growing in extremely shallow sandstone based soils and on sunny rock cliffs that dry out too quickly for most other plants to colonize. A good question is how does it find such isolated areas to colonize in the first place? Grow this small native gem in a rock garden, in cracks between rocks, or on top of or in a retaining wall. It will re-seed to thicken the colony but only germinate in bare thin soils with no mulch. It will not tolerate competition in rich moist soils as other plants will shade it out. If grown in pots and kept on the dry side, you may leave out all winter allowing to freeze solid; plants will either return from dormant stems or reseed in the same pot. Great low maintenance cold hardy succulent.