Plant of the month: Beebrush

A lovely, lacy larger shrub, the beebrush (Aloysia gratissima) is a beautiful choice for any yard that wants to attract pollinators. It is also known as whitebrush or Texas whitebrush.

The plant grows well in sun or part shade, and does not need any soil amendments or fertilizers. It’s native to the Chihuahuan desert and is quite hardy, down to 15 F, making it a good option for higher elevations in our area. The delicate tubular white flowers, which grow on terminal stalks that resemble a bottle brush, have a vanilla-like scent and are great for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The plant blooms chiefly in spring and after monsoon rains, although this is dependent on water supply and sun. The foliage is light green and leaves are small, adding to its lacy appearance.

The stems can get a bit leggy in part shade, and the plant blooms best in full sun, but it will require some supplemental watering. It can also be pruned slightly to encourage less leggy growth. However, its delicate form is one of its selling points, in my opinion. It makes for a soft screening shrub for places where you still want to see through the plant. The plant is evergreen, but if not watered through the summer months it will likely lose its leaves until the monsoon rains come.

It’s a slow to medium grower, and eventually can reach up to 10 feet tall although in our area it’s more likely to top out at 6 feet. It can be pruned into a small tree form if desired but does not require any pruning. It has very small thorns and should be fine for traffic areas, but be sure to give it plenty of room to spread, as its thin branches will curve out away from the center of the plant and eventually can take up to 6 feet of space.

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The plant is suspected of being toxic to horses, mules and burros so you should avoid planting it if you have these animals in your garden area. However, it is great for other native wildlife for whom it provides browsing foliage, nesting sites, fruit and, of course, pollen.

Beebrush is easily propagated via tip cuttings or seeds.