Skeleton Leaf Goldeneye

Viguiera stenoloba

The skeleton-leaf goldeneye is a delightful shrub that thrives in rocky areas, stretching from the Rio Grande Valley all the way to the Edwards Plateau and up to the Trans-Pecos. With its eye-catching, dark green leaves that have a unique skeletal look and lovely golden daisies, it brings a charming, rounded shape to any garden. This beautiful plant makes a wonderful choice as an ornamental shrub or sub-shrub. It loves to bask in full sun and can flourish in most well-drained sites, so keep it pruned regularly to maintain its lovely, dense appearance! While it stays evergreen in its native habitat, it proves to be root-hardy in colder regions.

Throughout the summer, this cheerful plant blooms intermittently, putting on a grand show in the fall. Its fragrant leaves are known to contain aromatic oils that help keep deer at bay. Plus, it’s a nurturing home for some butterfly species, serving as a larval host for their young ones!

Nectar Source Plants: Common Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus communis), Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae), Large Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala), Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Texas crescentspot (Anthanassa texana), Zebra Longwing ( Heliconius charithonia)