Cold-desert phlox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cold-desert phlox |
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| var. stansburyi, southern Nevada | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Phlox
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| Species: |
stansburyi
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Phlox stansburyi is a beautiful wild flower. It is often called cold-desert phlox or pink phlox. This plant grows in the dry, warm areas of the southwestern United States. You can find it from California to Utah and Texas. It likes deserts, plateaus, and open woodlands.
Discovering the Cold-Desert Phlox
Phlox stansburyi is a type of perennial herb. This means it is a plant that lives for more than two years. It does not have a woody stem like a tree. Instead, it has soft, green stems. This plant grows upright and can have many branches.
What Does It Look Like?
The leaves of the cold-desert phlox are long and thin. They can be about 1 to 3 centimeters (about 0.4 to 1.2 inches) long. These leaves are usually hairy and grow in pairs on the stem.
The plant produces lovely flowers. These flowers grow in a group called an inflorescence. Each flower can be white or pink. They have a long, narrow tube at their base, which can be over 3 centimeters (about 1.2 inches) long.
Flower Details
The base of the flower tube is covered by a cup-like structure. This structure is made of leaf-like parts called sepals. These sepals have ridges, almost like small ribs.
The top part of the flower is flat and has five petals. This flat, five-lobed part is called the corolla. In very dry places, the petals might be narrower and curl a bit. The whole plant might also be shorter. Sometimes, it even grows up through other shrubs for support.
