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Plantaginaceae
Ghost Flower
Mohavea confertiflora
Ephemeral beauty and deception.
- Family
- Plantaginaceae
- Genus
- Mohavea
- Native to
- Southwestern United States, Northwestern Mexico
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- Annual
- Height
- 15-40 cm
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil
- Sandy, well-draining, desert
- Water
- Very low
- Hardiness
- 9-11
- Lifespan
- Annual
Did you know
- The translucent petals appear ghost-like, giving this desert wildflower its ethereal common name.
- Ghost flowers mimic the appearance of another flower species to attract pollinators without offering nectar.
- They bloom only after sufficient winter rainfall in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.
- The flowers produce no nectar or pollen reward, making them a rare case of pollination by deception.
- A good rain year can produce spectacular desert carpets of ghost flowers across rocky slopes.
Color meanings
0
Mystery
1
Fleeting beauty
2
Survival