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Texas Prairie Parsley

Polytaenia texana

Other common name(s):

Texas-parsley, Texas Parsley

Family:

Apiaceae (Carrot Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Texas Blackland Prairies
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
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

2
to
4
ft.

Spread

0.5
to
1
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Biennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Very Low, Low

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow, Green

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies

Maintenance

Low maintenance. Found in dry, soils of blackland prairies and woodlands. Propagation: Seed.

Comments

Blooms April-June. Biennial; lives 2 years, flowers in the 2nd year. Texas prairie parsley blooms clusters of tiny yellow to green flowers at the end of stems. Leaves resemble parsley. Seeds are flat, resembling rolled oats. Pollination: Butterflies, bee, nectar insects. Larval Host: Black Swallowtail butterfly.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym(s): Pleiotaenia nuttallii var. texana, Polytaenia nuttallii var. texana

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=POTE3. 3) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=1252&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 4) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=29834#null, 5) https://seedsource.com/prairie-parsley/