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Native Plant Society of Texas

Greenthread

Thelesperma filifolium

Stiff Greenthread

Courtesy: Richardson, Charmaine, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=65150
Courtesy: Richardson, Charmaine, https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=65150
Courtesy: Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia. https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=11401
Courtesy: Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia. https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=11401
Photo credit, Claire Sorenson
Photo credit, Claire Sorenson
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Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map (hover for ecoregion names)

Native Habitat: Grassland
Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain

Maintenance

Winter: allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds. Blooms April to June. Ripened seeds are a food source for painted bunting, larval and nectar plant for butterflies. Annual to short lived, long flowering perennial.

Comments

Greenthread has yellow, daisy like flowers. The name refers to the thread-like appearance of the foliage. Annual or short-lived perennial that grows in colonies. Many butterflies feed on this nectar plant that blooms profusely from April to June. Habitat notes: Prefers disturbed sites in dry, sandy or gravelly soil. Larval Host: Dainty Yellow Sulfur.

Growth Form

Herbaceous

Height

1 to
2 ft

Spread

1 to
2 ft

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Rocky, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Low

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Annual

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Nectar Insects, Bees

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References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 165. 3) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=THFI. 4) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Thelesperma+filifolium&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 5) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=4645&locationType=County&mapType=Normal, 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=38521#null

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State Office Phone: 830.997.9272

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Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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