Ashy Dogweed, Ashy Pricklyleaf

It gets its name from the ashy grayish-green color of the stems and very thin leaves which are 1/2 inch long and 1/8 inch wide. ...Read MoreBoth the stems and leaves are covered with tiny woolly white hairs which give it its distinctive grayish color. The daisy-like flowers which are about the size of a penny have 10 to 15 bright goldish-yellow "petals" with a yellow center. The plant grows in a mounding circular shape. After rains, it is covered in numerous flowers. When it is dry for a while, the plant becomes brittle and dry with the color changing to gray to almost white. The empty seed heads which are cup-like persist on the ends of the stems for some time.

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, ashy dogweed (Thymophylla tephroleuca) is only found growing natively in 6 populations in Zapata and Webb Counties, Texas in pockets of sandy loam soil. The San Antonio Botanical Garden has found that ashy dogweed grows easily from cuttings taken in late spring to early summer and has been collectinig seed for a re-introduction project. The National Wildflowers Research Center in Austin, Texas found that the seed germinated best when heat stratified.

In the state of Texas this is an endangered plant. It is against the law to harvest seed, take cuttings or dig the plant up where it is found.