Practical
Plants

Abronia villosa

Desert Sand Verbena

an annual member of the Abronia genus in the family Nyctaginaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Abronia
Life cycle
annual
Height
0.1 m
Spread
0.5 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is used to induce the flow of urine[5]. A poultice of the mashed roots has been used to treat burns[5].

Environment

Range
South-western N. America - Nevada and Arizona to California.
Habitat
Found in creosote bush scrub from sea level to elevations of 2500 metres in California[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
high wind, maritime exposure
Wind
Yes
Maritime
Yes
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow autumn or early spring very shallowly in pots of sandy soil in a greenhouse[2]. Germination can be very slow unless you peel off the outer skin and pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water[3][4]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 15°c[2]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a light well-drained sandy soil in full sun[3]. This species is not very hardy in Britain, though it should succeed outdoors in the southern part of the country, especially if given a warm sheltered site[3]. Seed is rarely ripened on plants growing in Britain[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1. Thompson and Morgan. 1987-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  5. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  6. Flora of California www.calflora.org

    ↩

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