Pineland Blackanthers (Melanthera parvifolia)

Description:  A perennial and constantly flowering 2-3 foot-tall shrub with short-haired leaves resembling a cat's tongue to touch.  1/2 inch wide rayless flowers with white florets and dark anthers. 

Natural Habitat: Pinelands.

Planting and Care: Does best in full sunlight, but flowers fairly well in partial shade.  Drought tolerant once established. Self-seeds well if surrounding soil is free of duff.

Pros: A handsome medium-sized shrub with a rounded habit, dense foliage that suppresses adjacent weed growth, and almost always flowering. An "insect magnet", a host of small and large butterflies, skippers, and many other flying insects visit the flowers.

Excellent as a garden plant or native restoration, and butterfly attractant.

Cons: Not much.

Note on Size: These plants are young and still small, they come in pint-size containers. Please see the container photo to get a sense of their size as of February 2024.