Woolly Stemodia
Stemodia lanata
Last reviewed: September 2026
Woolly Stemodia is a low, fuzzy-leaved groundcover that spreads in full sun on little water, producing small purple flowers from March through November in warm, dry climates like South Texas.
Toxicity unknown
Woolly Stemodia (Stemodia lanata) 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
6"–9" H × 24"–24" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Native to
TX
Pollinators
butterflies, nectar insects
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Woolly Stemodia is a low-growing native perennial that forms a dense mat of small, fuzzy gray-green leaves. It produces tiny white or pale blue flowers almost year-round, creating a soft carpet effect in sunny, dry areas. This drought-tolerant groundcover works well as a living mulch or border plant.
Growing Woolly Stemodia
Grow Woolly Stemodia in full sun and low water. Mature plants reach 6 to 9 inches tall and spread 24 to 24 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
How to care for Woolly Stemodia, by region
How to care for Woolly Stemodia where it is actually grown: year-round basics plus what to do each season, region by region, with the sources for each.
Care guidance last updated: July 2026
Cross Timbers (includes Fort Worth, TX)
Year-round
Woolly Stemodia is a low, spreading groundcover with silvery, fuzzy leaves and tiny purple flowers, grown in North Texas gardens for full sun spots that need little water once established.
- Plant in full sun; part shade thins the silvery leaf color and slows flowering.
- Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart, since it spreads by rooting stems and can cover 2 to 3 feet across.
- In the heavy black clay common in the eastern part of the metro, plant it high on a slight mound or work in compost so roots do not sit in wet soil; in the sandier soils to the west, plan on watering more often through the first summer since that soil drains faster.
- Water deeply about once a week during the first growing season, then cut back to occasional deep watering once it is established, since it tolerates drought well.
- This plant and others in its genus build up selenium, a soil mineral that can reach levels toxic to livestock; keep grazing animals away from it and do not let anyone eat it.
A neat, low mat with small purple flowers reads as an intentional groundcover bed rather than an overgrown patch, especially when kept inside a defined edge.
Fall
Fall brings a second push of flowers on Woolly Stemodia as the North Texas heat breaks, and it is also a good time to divide clumps or fill in gaps.
- Expect a resurgence of small purple and white flowers from September through November as heat stress eases.
- Cut back any stems that have sprawled past the bed edge in late September to keep the mat inside its space.
- Established clumps can be divided in October and replanted 12 to 18 inches apart to fill bare spots.
- Taper off watering as temperatures drop, watering only when the top few inches of soil are dry.
- In the heavier clay soils, watch fall's cooler, wetter weeks for standing water, since that ground drains slowly.
Trimming sprawling stems back to the bed edge before the first hard freeze keeps the planting looking crisp and maintained rather than unclipped.
Winter
Woolly Stemodia dies back or goes semi-dormant in a typical North Texas winter and can be damaged in a hard freeze, but the roots usually survive to resprout in spring.
- Expect foliage to brown or die back after the first hard freeze (mid November on average); this is normal, not plant failure.
- Leave the dead top growth in place over winter, since it insulates the crown from further freeze damage; cut it back in late February.
- During a severe Arctic outbreak, cover plants with a frost cloth overnight if temperatures are forecast to drop into the teens or lower.
- Hold off on watering during a freeze, since wet soil around the crown increases cold damage.
- Check in late February for green growth at the base before assuming a plant did not survive.
Winter dieback can look like a dead, bare patch from the sidewalk; keeping a clean mulch edge around it signals a dormant planting rather than an abandoned bed.
Spring
Spring is the best time to plant Woolly Stemodia in North Texas, and established plants push out fresh silvery growth and the first flowers as the weather warms.
- Plant after the last frost date (mid March on average) so roots have time to establish before the July heat arrives.
- Water new plantings 2 to 3 times a week for the first 4 to 6 weeks until roots take hold.
- Watch for the first small purple and white flowers to open by April.
- Pull away any stems that died back over winter to make room for new growth.
- In heavy clay soil, watch for standing water after spring rains and avoid extra watering on top of it; in sandier soil, keep up the twice-weekly schedule since it drains fast.
A freshly planted patch looks sparse for a few weeks; a thin layer of mulch between plants keeps the bed reading as a deliberate planting rather than bare dirt or weeds until it fills in.
Summer
Summer is the toughest test for a new planting, but once established, Woolly Stemodia handles North Texas heat and dry stretches with little help.
- Plants established a full year need only occasional deep watering during 100F stretches, roughly every 10 to 14 days if no rain falls.
- First-summer plantings still need weekly deep watering through July and August since their roots are not yet established.
- Watch for wilting or dulling of the silvery leaf color as an early drought stress sign, and water that week if you see it.
- Skip fertilizer during the hottest months, since it pushes soft new growth that struggles in the heat.
- Deadhead spent flower clusters to keep flowering going through the hottest weeks.
A well-established patch stays green and mat-like through summer heat when nearby lawns brown out, which reads as deliberately maintained rather than neglected.
Sources: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Stemodia lanata plant profile, Native Plant Society of Texas, Stemodia lanata (community tip)
Texas Blackland Prairies (includes Dallas, TX)
Year-round
Woolly Stemodia is a low, spreading groundcover with silvery, fuzzy leaves and tiny purple flowers, grown in North Texas gardens for full sun spots that need little water once established.
- Plant in full sun; part shade thins the silvery leaf color and slows flowering.
- Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart, since it spreads by rooting stems and can cover 2 to 3 feet across.
- In the heavy black clay common in the eastern part of the metro, plant it high on a slight mound or work in compost so roots do not sit in wet soil; in the sandier soils to the west, plan on watering more often through the first summer since that soil drains faster.
- Water deeply about once a week during the first growing season, then cut back to occasional deep watering once it is established, since it tolerates drought well.
- This plant and others in its genus build up selenium, a soil mineral that can reach levels toxic to livestock; keep grazing animals away from it and do not let anyone eat it.
A neat, low mat with small purple flowers reads as an intentional groundcover bed rather than an overgrown patch, especially when kept inside a defined edge.
Fall
Fall brings a second push of flowers on Woolly Stemodia as the North Texas heat breaks, and it is also a good time to divide clumps or fill in gaps.
- Expect a resurgence of small purple and white flowers from September through November as heat stress eases.
- Cut back any stems that have sprawled past the bed edge in late September to keep the mat inside its space.
- Established clumps can be divided in October and replanted 12 to 18 inches apart to fill bare spots.
- Taper off watering as temperatures drop, watering only when the top few inches of soil are dry.
- In the heavier clay soils, watch fall's cooler, wetter weeks for standing water, since that ground drains slowly.
Trimming sprawling stems back to the bed edge before the first hard freeze keeps the planting looking crisp and maintained rather than unclipped.
Winter
Woolly Stemodia dies back or goes semi-dormant in a typical North Texas winter and can be damaged in a hard freeze, but the roots usually survive to resprout in spring.
- Expect foliage to brown or die back after the first hard freeze (mid November on average); this is normal, not plant failure.
- Leave the dead top growth in place over winter, since it insulates the crown from further freeze damage; cut it back in late February.
- During a severe Arctic outbreak, cover plants with a frost cloth overnight if temperatures are forecast to drop into the teens or lower.
- Hold off on watering during a freeze, since wet soil around the crown increases cold damage.
- Check in late February for green growth at the base before assuming a plant did not survive.
Winter dieback can look like a dead, bare patch from the sidewalk; keeping a clean mulch edge around it signals a dormant planting rather than an abandoned bed.
Spring
Spring is the best time to plant Woolly Stemodia in North Texas, and established plants push out fresh silvery growth and the first flowers as the weather warms.
- Plant after the last frost date (mid March on average) so roots have time to establish before the July heat arrives.
- Water new plantings 2 to 3 times a week for the first 4 to 6 weeks until roots take hold.
- Watch for the first small purple and white flowers to open by April.
- Pull away any stems that died back over winter to make room for new growth.
- In heavy clay soil, watch for standing water after spring rains and avoid extra watering on top of it; in sandier soil, keep up the twice-weekly schedule since it drains fast.
A freshly planted patch looks sparse for a few weeks; a thin layer of mulch between plants keeps the bed reading as a deliberate planting rather than bare dirt or weeds until it fills in.
Summer
Summer is the toughest test for a new planting, but once established, Woolly Stemodia handles North Texas heat and dry stretches with little help.
- Plants established a full year need only occasional deep watering during 100F stretches, roughly every 10 to 14 days if no rain falls.
- First-summer plantings still need weekly deep watering through July and August since their roots are not yet established.
- Watch for wilting or dulling of the silvery leaf color as an early drought stress sign, and water that week if you see it.
- Skip fertilizer during the hottest months, since it pushes soft new growth that struggles in the heat.
- Deadhead spent flower clusters to keep flowering going through the hottest weeks.
A well-established patch stays green and mat-like through summer heat when nearby lawns brown out, which reads as deliberately maintained rather than neglected.
Sources: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Stemodia lanata plant profile, Native Plant Society of Texas, Stemodia lanata (community tip)
Want these tasks as reminders timed to your yard? Pollinator Patch turns this guidance into a season-by-season care plan for the plants you actually grow.
In an HOA neighborhood
Woolly Stemodia is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 3 out of 5.
Works well in: front yard, foundation, street edge, mid zone.
Wildlife value
The long blooming period from spring through fall provides consistent nectar for butterflies and other small pollinators. Its low, spreading habit offers shelter for beneficial insects.
Common questions
- How much water does Woolly Stemodia need?
- Woolly Stemodia is drought tolerant once established and grows best with low supplemental water, especially in hot, sunny sites with well-drained soil.
- When does Woolly Stemodia bloom?
- This groundcover produces small flowers over a long season, typically from March through November, with the heaviest bloom during warm months.
- What pollinators visit Woolly Stemodia flowers?
- The blooms attract butterflies and other nectar-seeking insects, making the plant a useful low groundcover for pollinator gardens.
- How much sun does Woolly Stemodia need?
- It performs best in full sun and tolerates intense heat, which suits its use as a groundcover in open, sunny beds and rock gardens.
- What kind of growth habit does Woolly Stemodia have?
- It is a low, spreading forb with soft, woolly gray-green leaves that form a dense mat, useful for edging or covering bare ground in dry landscapes.
- Is Woolly Stemodia HOA-friendly?
- Woolly Stemodia is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
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
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