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Native Plant Society of Texas

Texas Skeleton Plant

Lygodesmia texana

Other common name(s):

Texas Skeleton Weed, Skeleton-plant, Purple Dandelion, Flowering Straw

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.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, 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, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Arid Llano Estacado, Shinnery Sands
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1
to
2
ft.

Spread

.25
to
.5
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Calcareous, Dry, Rocky, Sand

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland, Shrubland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Pink, Purple

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Maintenance

Named for it’s minimal foliage. Drought tolerant. Good for xeriscape gardens. Do not overwater or allow it to be overcrowded by other plants in the garden. WARNING: some parts of this plant are poisonous. Native habitat: rocky, calcareous, alkaline soils in oak-juniper woodlands, mesquite brushlands, open grasslands, red sandy soils, roadsides.

Description

Blooms April-September. Texas Skeleton Plant has smooth, almost leafless stems. Its few leaves are at the base of the plant and are narrow, gray-green, with short lobes. The bare stems, grow at odd angles, thus its common name. The tubular flower grows singly at the end of stems. When the stems are broken, they exude sap which coagulates into a gum. The fruit is a cypsela: a dry, one-seeded fruit, usually topped by pappus.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Lygodesmia aphylla var. texana

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Stem Cutting Dip the cut end of each cutting into a rooting hormone. Fill a pot with a well-draining soil mix, typically one designed for cacti and succulent, suits the growing conditions of Texas Skeleton Weed. Plant the cuttings about 2 inches deep in the soil, ensuring that the leaves are above the soil surface. Place the pot in a location that receives indirect sunlight, as Texas Skeleton Weed thrives best under partial sun exposure. Keep the environment around the plant humid, by misting it daily, but not the leaves directly. Initially, water the soil lightly just to keep it slightly moist, not soggy; over-watering can lead to rot issues. Reduce watering frequency once signs of new growth appear, adapting to a more infrequent watering schedule suitable for a drought-tolerant species. Collect stem cuttings from healthy, mature plants. Ensure that each cutting is about 4-6 inches long and includes several leaves. A clean, sharp knife or pruners should be used to make a clean cut just below a leaf node. https://www.picturethisai.com/care/propagate/Lygodesmia_texana.html

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason