Xeriscape Landscaping Plants For The Arizona Desert Environment
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Shrubs

Guayule, Parthenium argentatum

Guayule, Parthenium argentatum. Plant. Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. March 20, 2008.
Guayule, Parthenium argentatum. Flowers. Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. March 20, 2008.

Guayule, Parthenium argentatum	Guayule, Parthenium argentatum

Guayule Parthenium argentatum, Aster or Sunflower Family ( Asteraceae ) also known as the Composite Family: ( Compositae ), Guayule: Also called: Hierba de Hule, Afinador. Guayule or Parthenium argentatum is a native perennial shrub growing in the Chihuahuan Desert of north-central Mexico and southwestern Texas. It is economically important because it produces non-allergenic latex. It is a member of the composite family (Compositae),which produces rubber. Guayule grows in rocky, limestone desert habitats in full sun. It is bushy with dense branches, thick clusters of silverlike leaves that are covered with silvery hairs. It has small white flowers and it blooms continuously with the combination of high temperatures, long days, and some rain. It has a strong taproot, and a thick crown. Its flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by insects, wind and they are apomictic (reproduce by seeds formed without sexual fusion). The plant therefore is self-fertile. As a drought-tolerant evergreen, Guayule can be used on slopes for erosion control and in xeriscape landscapes where it displays its rounded, silvery form. Guayule is considered source of rubber which can be obtained by the mechanical maceration of the roots and/or stems. Height: Up to 3 feet tall; to 3 feet wide. Flowers: Hermaphrodite. White petals and yellowish on 6 inch stems. Blooming Time: February to June. About anytime after rains. Leaves: Green, Simple, alternate, drought-deciduous, narrow strip of blade along midrib and a couple of skinny lobes. Found: Chihuahuan desert, Texas south into northern Mexico. Elevation: 0 - 5,000 Feet. Habitat: Chihuahuan desert, sandy desert soils. Miscellaneous: Photos Taken Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. March 20, 2008.