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Foliage/fruit

Fruit

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Fairy duster is a small shrub with ferny, bi-pinnate foliage and flowers that look like fluffy white balls appearing from March to June and sporadically through fall. It resembles Mimosa sp., but lacks their thorns. It grows in rocky limestone soils and caliche in the Trans-Pecos, South Texas Plains, and Edwards Plateau. Generally under one foot high, and with its showy blooms and airy foliage, fairy duster is a good choice for dry desert gardens with limited space. It can tolerate some shade, but will flower most profusely in full sun. Its dense root system provides erosion control, and hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers. Fairy duster is hardy to 15 degrees F.

Plant Habit or Use: small shrub

Exposure: sun
partial sun

Flower Color: white to cream, sometimes pinkish, with white stamens

Blooming Period: spring
summer

Fruit Characteristics: flat legume

Height: 1 to 3 feet

Width: 1 to 3 feet

Plant Character: semievergreen

Heat Tolerance: very high

Water Requirements:

Soil Requirements: alkaline
adaptable

USDA Hardiness Zone: 8

Additional Comments: C. conferta is closely related to C. eriophylla and is often mistaken for it.