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Native Plant Society of Texas

Saltmarsh Fleabane

Pluchea odorata

Other common name(s):

Sweetscent

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, Southern Texas Plains, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie
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, 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, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous, Wetland

Height

1
to
6
ft.

Spread

1
to
3
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Annual

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Brackish, Clay, Moist, Saline

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Water Requirement

Medium, High

Native Habitat

Wetland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Pink

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Nectar Insects

Maintenance

A showy addition to any garden that has moist or shallow, submerged soils. Good plant for pond gardens. Not only does it thrive in wet conditions, but it can also handle the challenges of salty environments. Reseeds readily in moist conditions. Set up a water collection tank near a downspout to supplement water. Native habitat: saline to brackish marshes mostly along the coast.

Description

Blooms January-December. May bloom year-round in the south and Jul – Oct in northern regions. An erect plant with tall, stiff stems covered in rough hairs and fibrous root. Leaves are oval with toothed margins. Foliage is very aromatic. The fragrant, rose-colored flowers grow in small heads in a flat-topped cluster at the end of the stems. The fruit is a cypsela: a dry, one-seeded fruit, usually topped by pappus. Larval host: common checkered skipper (Pyrgus communis) and the silvery checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis).

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PLOD. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Pluchea+odorata&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=4075&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=565416#null, 6) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluchea_odorata#:~:text=and%20New%20Caledonia.-,Description,arranged%20on%20the%20stiff%20stems., 7) https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/GreatLakes/FactSheet.aspx?Species_ID=3267#:~:text=Pluchea%20odorata%20(L.),Cass.&text=Flowers%20grow%20in%20small%20heads,florets%20(14%E2%80%9334). 8) https://www.bluestemnatives.com/product-page/pluchea-odorata-var-succulenta-sweetscent#:~:text=to%20use%20it!-,Pluchea%20odorata%20var.,the%20challenges%20of%20salty%20environments. 9) https://naturecollective.org/plant-guide/details/salt-marsh-fleabane/

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Fill seed trays or pots with well-drained soil or a seed starting mix. Scatter the seeds thinly across the surface of the soil and gently press them down for good soil contact, but do not bury them deeply; sweetscent seeds need light to germinate. Water the seeds in gently using a spray bottle or a fine nozzle watering can, ensuring the soil is moistened but not waterlogged. Keep the soil consistently moist throughout the germination period. Place the seed trays or pots in a location with bright light but not direct sunlight. Provide temperatures of about 70°F (21°C), which is typically favorable for sweetscent seed germination. After germination, when seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them out by snipping the weakest seedlings at soil level, allowing sufficient space for the strongest onAfter successfully propagating sweetscent, transition the seedlings to individual pots or their final growing location once they are large enough to handle the conditions. Sweetscent prefers full sun to light shade and tolerates a range of soil types, although it thrives in wetter soils. Water sweetscent regularly but avoid overwatering. Monitor for pests and diseases and manage them as necessary.es to grow. Gather ripe seeds from a mature sweetscent once they've developed on the plant. Dry them if they are moist, and remove any chaff or debris to ensure only clean, viable seeds are used for sowing. 1) https://www.picturethisai.com/care/propagate/Pluchea_odorata.html 2) https://www.gardenia.net/plant/pluchea-odorata
Stem Cutting For cuttings, take a healthy stem cutting and place it in moist soil or water until roots develop. Propagation is best done in the spring or early summer. https://earthone.io/plant/pluchea%20odorata?srsltid=AfmBOoq66Ynimj6K5Ds1lDp0-U-UUBCX3N2e2HVCKVTOqQIS-BssyydN

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