08/30/2026
Plant of the Week!
Common name: Yerba Mansa
Scientific name: Anemopsis californica
Family: Saururaceae
Native range: California east to Kansas, south through Texas into the northwestern Mexican states of Baja California, Sonora, and Chihuahua
Yerba mansa is a plant that thrives in wet environments, such as springs, marshes, streambanks, and the edges of ponds. At the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens at UTEP, it grows along the pond's edge, where the moist soil provides the conditions it needs to flourish. Some parts of the plant even extend into the water, allowing visitors to see its roots growing beneath the surface.
It can grow about 2–4 feet (60–120 cm) tall and spreads through underground rhizomes, often forming small colonies. Its large, oval to heart-shaped leaves grow from the base and have a soft, slightly waxy appearance.
One of its most distinctive features is its white, cone-shaped flower structure. What looks like a single flower is actually a dense cluster of tiny flowers surrounded by showy white bracts. As the flowers mature, these bracts can develop pinkish or reddish tones. They typically bloom during the warmer months, producing their distinctive white flower structures from late spring through summer.
Growing beside the pond, yerba mansa creates a small oasis within the desert landscape, providing flowers for bees and other insects while its dense growth offers cover for small wildlife. Its visible roots beneath the water also offer a fascinating glimpse into how plants can thrive in the wet pockets found throughout the Chihuahuan Desert.
