Dalea greggii

This durable, long-living evergreen has a mounding, creeping growth habit reaching two to three feet tall and spreading three to eight feet wide. It is known for its silvery, bluish-gray foliage and pea-sized, lavender to deep purple blooms in early spring through the summer. The flowers attract butterflies and bees. It is hardy to thirteen to fifteen degrees Fahrenheit and may suffer some dieback and root damage at those temperatures. The trailing indigo bush is drought-tolerant and prefers full sun and can take plenty of reflected heat. Irrigate once per week during the warm weather, but do not over-water or over fertilize this plant. It needs well-draining soil but is tolerant of most soil conditions. This fast-growing plant needs minimal maintenance and should be allowed to grow naturally. Do not prune or shear except to remove dead or woody growth. Use it in rock gardens or planters, or train it to cascade over a wall. Plant it as an understory specimen, use for erosion control, as a soil stabilizer, in medians, and along roadways. It works well in drought-resistant landscapes. This groundcover is native to rocky and limestone hillsides of western Texas, southeastern New Mexico, and Mexico, ranging across Chihuahua, Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Hidalgo, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Puebla, and Oaxaca at elevations of 2,000 to 4,500 feet.