Nyctaginia Species, Devil's Bouquet, Scarlet Musk-Flower

I have not grown this plant but have observed it in its native habitat. Devil's bouquet, scarlet musk-flower (Nyctaginia capitata) is the...Read More only species in the Nyctaginia genus. It is an upright to sprawling, tuberous rooted (parsley-like) perennial that attains a height of between 6 and 18 inches. It is a native to New Mexico, Texas and northern Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León). Some online sources state that it is an annual; however, most of my native plant references and the USDA PlantFiles state that it is a perennial. In Texas, it can be found in loamy, sandy or calcareous soils of the Edwards Plateau and South Texas Plains regions in full to partial sun. It is usually observed growing on arid grasslands, old fields, upland woodlands, shrub-lands, rocky slopes and roadsides. Devil’s bouquet prefers dry soil, but also prospers in soils that are medium moist.

The stems are repeatedly forked and covered with fine hairs. The 1.5 to 3.5 inches long, sub-triangular (rarely ovate), opposite, long-stalked, thick, grayish-green leaves have sticky hairs and smooth to wavy margins. Devil’s bouquet blooms from March or April through November. The pink, bright red or dark red trumpet-shaped, 5-lobed at the rim flowers are 1 to 1 1/8 inches long, united at the base, mottled and are sometimes streaked with yellow; however, they can be all yellow which is very rare. The thread-like anthers are a very long and prominently exserted. Hummingbirds are attracted to the blooms which appear in large clusters and are quite showy and impossible to miss. I screeched my car to a halt when I spotted them as I drove by a construction site. They have a strong musky scent which some people do not enjoy. The fruits are 5-8mm long and 3.5-4 mm wide.

Unfortunately, the group of plants I observed and photographed will be destroyed in a few days by construction crews before they have gone to seed. I will not be able to collect any seeds nor save the plants from destruction which makes me very, very sad. Devil's bouquet would make a great rock garden, xeriscae, wildscape or cultivated garden plant (even though the fragarnce of the blooms might offend some people; it didn't bother me at all).