Skip to main content

Desert sand verbena

Abronia villosa

Last reviewed: August 2026

Desert sand verbena (Abronia villosa)
Photo: (c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

4"–10" H × 12"–36" W

Bloom

Feb, Mar, Apr, May

Native to

AZ, CA, NV, UT

Pollinators

moths, bees

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

A low, sprawling annual with sticky, hairy stems and rounded clusters of fragrant pink flowers that carpet desert sand after seasonal rains.

Wildlife value

Fragrant evening flowers attract hawkmoths and other night-flying pollinators.

Common questions

How much sun does Desert sand verbena need?
Desert sand verbena grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Desert sand verbena bloom?
Desert sand verbena blooms in February, March, April, and May.
Where is Desert sand verbena native?
Desert sand verbena (Abronia villosa) is native to AZ, CA, NV, UT, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
What pollinators does Desert sand verbena attract?
Desert sand verbena draws moths and bees.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

Ready to grow Desert sand verbena? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz