Parachute Plant
Atrichoseris platyphylla
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Parachute Plant (Atrichoseris platyphylla) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
8"–24" H × 6"–12" W
Bloom
May, Jun, Jul
Native to
AZ, CA, NV, UT
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 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaBrowse plants for this ecoregion
Parachute plant is a low-growing annual wildflower native to the southwestern United States. It produces small daisy-like flowers from May through July, followed by distinctive fluffy seed heads that give the plant its common name.
In an HOA neighborhood
Parachute Plant takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: backyard only.
- Looks very weedy and wild
- Annual lifecycle creates gaps in landscaping
- Fluffy seed heads appear messy to most HOAs
Wildlife value
This native wildflower provides nectar for small pollinators including native bees and beneficial insects during its spring and early summer bloom period.
Common questions
- How much sun does Parachute Plant need?
- Parachute Plant grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Parachute Plant bloom?
- Parachute Plant blooms in May, June, and July.
- Where is Parachute Plant native?
- Parachute Plant (Atrichoseris platyphylla) is native to AZ, CA, NV, UT, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- Is Parachute Plant HOA-friendly?
- Parachute Plant takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
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.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Parachute Plant? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant
Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz