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Asteraceae
Mojave Aster
Xylorhiza tortifolia
Desert perseverance and unlikely beauty.
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Genus
- Xylorhiza
- Native to
- southwestern United States
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- sub-shrub
- Height
- 30–60 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- sandy, rocky, well-drained desert soil
- Water
- very low; drought-adapted
- Hardiness
- 7–10
- Lifespan
- short-lived perennial
Did you know
- It blooms spectacularly in the harshest landscapes — rocky washes and barren slopes of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.
- The genus name Xylorhiza means 'woody root', referring to the tough, woody base that anchors it in desert gravel.
- The species name 'tortifolia' means 'twisted leaf' — the silvery leaves curl to reduce water loss in extreme heat.
- In good rain years, entire desert hillsides turn lavender with Mojave asters in March and April.
- Despite its delicate daisy-like appearance, it can survive summer temperatures exceeding 48°C (118°F).
Color meanings
Lavender
beauty against the odds
Purple
desert defiance