Parralena

Year-round

Siting, soil, watering baseline, and size for five-needle prickleleaf in Fort Worth, TX.

• Five-needle prickleleaf, also called parralena or dogweed, is a small mounding subshrub about 6 to 9 inches tall with a 1 to 1.5 foot spread and fine, needle-like leaves. Native Plant Society of Texas lists it as native to Texas ecoregions such as the Edwards Plateau and Chihuahuan Deserts.
• Give it full sun and dry, well-drained gravelly or limestone soil.
• Heavy clay holds too much water for this plant. Plant it on a raised mound or slope, or mix in gravel or decomposed granite, so water drains away from the crown.
• Water about twice a month once established and let the soil dry out between waterings, per Native Plant Society of Texas.
• The Wildflower Center lists it as highly deer resistant and notes a lingering, unpleasant odor from the foliage, so plant it away from spots you brush past often. Native Plant Society of Texas notes nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and moths.

Fall

Fall bloom, seeding, and cleanup for five-needle prickleleaf in Fort Worth, TX.

• Flowers continue into October. Let some seedheads dry on the plant so it can reseed, or collect the dried seed to sow in early spring.
• Cut back watering as temperatures drop. Fall rain is usually enough once plants are established.
• The first frost in the Dallas and Fort Worth area typically arrives in mid to late November.

Leggy or browning stems can look messy by the curb. A light trim after the last flush keeps the mound neat.

Winter

Winter dormancy and drainage for five-needle prickleleaf in Fort Worth, TX.

• The Wildflower Center describes it as deciduous, so expect it to thin out or drop leaves in cold weather.
• Winter wet is the main risk, especially on clay soil. Do not water in cold weather unless the soil has been bone dry for weeks.
• Leave the stems through winter and cut them back in late winter as new growth appears.

Spring

Spring planting and early growth for five-needle prickleleaf in Fort Worth, TX.

• Sow seed in early spring on the soil surface without covering it, since the seed needs light to germinate, per Native Plant Society of Texas.
• Wait until the last frost has passed, typically mid March in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, before setting out new plants.
• Spring rain can leave clay beds soggy. Check that the bed drains within a day, and skip extra watering when rain is regular.
• Yellow flowers can begin as early as March and continue into fall.

Summer

Summer heat and bloom for five-needle prickleleaf in Fort Worth, TX.

• This is a heat lover. Bright yellow daisy-like flowers keep coming through the summer.
• Water about twice a month once established, and let the soil dry between waterings, per Native Plant Society of Texas. Extra water in a humid summer invites rot.
• Use decomposed granite or gravel mulch instead of shredded bark, which holds moisture against the stems.
• Trim leggy stems lightly midsummer to keep the mound compact. Letting some seedheads drop helps new plants fill in.

Year-round

Siting, soil, watering baseline, and size for five-needle prickleleaf in Dallas, TX.

• Five-needle prickleleaf, also called parralena or dogweed, is a small mounding subshrub about 6 to 9 inches tall with a 1 to 1.5 foot spread and fine, needle-like leaves. Native Plant Society of Texas lists it as native to Texas ecoregions such as the Edwards Plateau and Chihuahuan Deserts.
• Give it full sun and dry, well-drained gravelly or limestone soil.
• Heavy clay holds too much water for this plant. Plant it on a raised mound or slope, or mix in gravel or decomposed granite, so water drains away from the crown.
• Water about twice a month once established and let the soil dry out between waterings, per Native Plant Society of Texas.
• The Wildflower Center lists it as highly deer resistant and notes a lingering, unpleasant odor from the foliage, so plant it away from spots you brush past often. Native Plant Society of Texas notes nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and moths.

Fall

Fall bloom, seeding, and cleanup for five-needle prickleleaf in Dallas, TX.

• Flowers continue into October. Let some seedheads dry on the plant so it can reseed, or collect the dried seed to sow in early spring.
• Cut back watering as temperatures drop. Fall rain is usually enough once plants are established.
• The first frost in the Dallas and Fort Worth area typically arrives in mid to late November.

Leggy or browning stems can look messy by the curb. A light trim after the last flush keeps the mound neat.

Winter

Winter dormancy and drainage for five-needle prickleleaf in Dallas, TX.

• The Wildflower Center describes it as deciduous, so expect it to thin out or drop leaves in cold weather.
• Winter wet is the main risk, especially on clay soil. Do not water in cold weather unless the soil has been bone dry for weeks.
• Leave the stems through winter and cut them back in late winter as new growth appears.

Spring

Spring planting and early growth for five-needle prickleleaf in Dallas, TX.

• Sow seed in early spring on the soil surface without covering it, since the seed needs light to germinate, per Native Plant Society of Texas.
• Wait until the last frost has passed, typically mid March in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, before setting out new plants.
• Spring rain can leave clay beds soggy. Check that the bed drains within a day, and skip extra watering when rain is regular.
• Yellow flowers can begin as early as March and continue into fall.

Summer

Summer heat and bloom for five-needle prickleleaf in Dallas, TX.

• This is a heat lover. Bright yellow daisy-like flowers keep coming through the summer.
• Water about twice a month once established, and let the soil dry between waterings, per Native Plant Society of Texas. Extra water in a humid summer invites rot.
• Use decomposed granite or gravel mulch instead of shredded bark, which holds moisture against the stems.
• Trim leggy stems lightly midsummer to keep the mound compact. Letting some seedheads drop helps new plants fill in.