Stanleya pinnata

Desert Prince's Plume is a splendid North American native woody perennial, found in high elevation (3,000'-9,000') desert climates from North Dakota south to California. Stanleya pinnata, named after British naturalist, Lord Edward Stanley of the Linnean Society, is a member of the cabbage family, Brassicaceae. In the garden, it forms a clump of narrow, dissected glaucous foliage, topped in spring with 3-5' spires of butterfly-attracting, cleome-like, yellow flowers. The floral show can last for over a month, weather permitting. The key to being successful is to choose a dry, sunny, well-drained site.