Texas Wildbuds

Froelichia floridana

(Plains Snake-cotton)

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Froelichia floridana, Bastrop State Park, Bastrop Co. 5558-1

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Froelichia floridana, Bastrop State Park, Bastrop Co. 5558-2

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Froelichia floridana, Bastrop State Park, Bastrop Co. 5566

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Froelichia floridana, Bastrop State Park, Bastrop Co. 5570

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Froelichia floridana, Bastrop State Park, Bastrop Co. 5560

Scientific Name Froelichia floridana USDA PLANTS Symbol FRFL
Common Name Plains Snake-cotton ITIS Taxonomic Serial No.
Family Amaranthaceae (Amaranth) SEINet
Reference		 Click Here
Description Habitat: Sandy soils and open areas; prairies, edges of woodlands, roadsides, railroads.
Plant: Annual with stiff, erect, ascending or nodding stems 16 to 70 inches tall, branching in upper portion, swollen at leaf nodes; stem covered with short, fine often sticky, white or brownish hairs.
Leaves: Opposite, thick leaves with variable shapes mostly in the lower third of the plant, oblanceolate to spatulate or oblong, 1-1/8 to 4 inches long and 3/8 to 3/4-inch wide, on short or no petioles; entire margins.
Inflorescence: A few to several dense floral spikes on a few branching stems, often with 1 to 4 spikes along the stem, the largest spike at the tip of the stem usually nodding; spikes 1 to 4 inches long of small, conical flowers in a tight spiral, with 5 flowers in one turn of the stem; no petals; calyx densely covered in woolly hairs that has a small creamy colored star-shaped opening at the tip with an orange-brown center, a column of stamens and style inside.
Bloom Period: March to November.
References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, "Wildflowers of Texas" by Geyata Ajilvsgi and Minnesota Wildflowers. 		BONAP Distribution Map


Map Color Key		 Texas Status:
Native
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Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County

© Tom Lebsack 2026

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