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Native Plant Society of Texas

Horseherb

Calyptocarpus vialis

Other common name(s):

Straggler Daisy

Family:

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southern Texas Plains, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Northern Post Oak Savanna, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Groundcover, Herbaceous

Height

0.5
to
1
ft.

Spread

2
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Semi Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained, Moist, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Shade

Water Requirement

Low, Medium

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Nectar

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Maintenance

A great groundcover. Colonizes by stolons. Can be mowed during the growing season, but loses its soft natural look. Withstands moderate foot traffic. Grows well in sun or shade. Will be evergreen during mild winters, may go dormant in cold winters or extended drought. Propagation: root division, seed.

Comments

Blooms March-November. Low growing with trailing stems, roots growing from the nodes. Leaves are oval to triangular, and slightly pubescent. Tiny, daisy flowers, solitary at each node. The fruit is a cypsela: a dry, one-seeded fruit, usually topped by pappus.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Synedrella vialis, Synedrellopsis grisebachii

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CAVI2. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Calyptocarpus+vialis&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=2422&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 99. 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=501164#null, 7) Native and Adapted Landscape Plants, City of Austin and Texas A&M, 2014., 8) https://rootedin.com/tough-texas-native-plants-for-shade-creating-a-cool-haven-before-the-heat/, 9) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calyptocarpus_vialis#:~:text=Calyptocarpus%20vialis%20is%20a%20species,%2C%20Venezuela%2C%20and%20the%20Caribbean., 10) https://w3.biosci.utexas.edu/prc/K12/pages/Calyptocarpus%20vialis.html

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Stem Cutting Remove the lower leaves from the cutting, leaving a couple of sets at the top. Water Propagation: Place the cuttings in a jar or glass with water, ensuring the leaf nodes (bumps on the stem where leaves grow) are submerged. Change the water every few days. Roots should appear in 1-2 weeks. Soil Propagation: Plant the cuttings in a well-draining potting mix, burying the bottom leaf node. Keep the soil consistently moist. Taking cuttings is arguably the easiest and most efficient way to propagate straggler daisies. Using clean, sharp shears, take 3-4 inch stem cuttings from healthy, non-flowering stems. 1) https://propagate.one/how-to-propagate-calyptocarpus-vialis/ 2) https://earthone.io/plant/calyptocarpus%20vialis
Seed No Treatment HOW TO EASILY “SEED” AN AREA: Simply find a fast growing, blooming stand of Horseherb and mow it periodically using a lawnmower with a grass catcher attachment. Then thinly spread the Horseherb catchings (clippings) onto the area to be planted. Let the clippings dry for a few days then water or let the next rainfall germinate the very small seed which were collected during mowing. Horseherb will establish itself in stony, shady areas where grass will not grow well. NOTE: Horseherb DOES NOT kill or crowd out grasses; the grass thins or dies and the Horseherb covers the bare spots! Though this species may be propagated by seed, it is rarely done because the seeds are difficult to collect in quantity. Seeds are rarely if ever commercially available. https://www.plantanswers.com/Articles/HorseherbOrStragglerDaisy.asp#:~:text=Horseherb%20(Calyptecarpus%20vialis)%20is%20not,planted%20all%20over%20the%20area.
Clump Division Divide the plant during repotting by separating the root ball into smaller sections and planting them individually https://earthone.io/plant/calyptocarpus%20vialis

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason