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Texas Star

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Texas Star (Lindheimera texana)

Description: Texas star plants are 6-24 inches tall and widely branched. Stems and branches are hairy. The lower leaves are alternate and coarsely toothed, but the upper ones are opposite and smooth on the edges, 2-2 1/2 inches long. There are 1 to several flower heads in a cluster at the end of each stem. Each flower head has (3)-5-(6) bright yellow ray flowers, each with 2 prominent veins and indented at the tip. Flower heads are 1-1 1/4 inches across. The plant sometimes begins blooming when it is 2 in. tall and continues blooming while growing taller. Texas Yellowstar is easily cultivated and does well in garden settings. This genus is named after Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer (1801-1879) who is often called the Father of Texas Botany because of his work as the first permanent-resident plant collector in Texas. In 1834 Lindheimer immigrated to the United States as a political refugee. He spent from 1843-1852 collecting specimens in Texas. In 1844 he settled in New Braunfels, Texas, and was granted land on the banks of the Comal River, where he continued his plant collecting and attempted to establish a botanical garden. He shared his findings with many others who shared his interest in botany, including Ferdinand von Roemer and Adolph Scheele. Lindheimer is credited with the discovery of several hundred plant species. In addition, his name is used to designate forty-eight species and subspecies of plants. He is buried in New Braunfels. His house, on Comal Street in New Braunfels, is now a museum.

Family: Asteraceae

Synonym(s): Texas Yellowstar, Texas Star, Texas Yellow-star, Lindheimer daisy

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Duration: Annual

Habit: Herb

Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Color: Yellow

Bloom Time: Mar, Apr, May

Water Use: Low

Light Requirements: Sun

Soil Moisture: Dry

Bloom Notes: Native Habitat: Prairies; roadsides, Abundant in prairies of north central and southern part of east Texas and Edwards Plateau. Well-drained sand, loam, clay, limestone.

Missing Images: Plant, Close-Up, Fruit-Seed

Data Completeness: Complete

ATTRIBUTION: All of the Texas Wildflower images in this post are copyrighted and are the exclusive property of Terry B. Kahler. Reproduction without explisit written consent is prohibited. Some of the information contained in this section was taken from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website and is being used under their terms of use. Redistribution from this site is prohibited. Additional information contained in this section was taken from the USDA website including the USDA code.

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