Fauna
Flower

Stiff Greenthread

Thelesperma filifolium

Also known as Plains Greenthread, Navajo Tea, Hopi Tea

Stiff greenthread is a drought-adapted native wildflower of the North American plains, recognized by its delicate, thread-like leaves and vibrant golden blooms with red-brown centers. It serves as an essential nectar reservoir for native bees, butterflies, and skippers through the heat of summer. Historically brewed into an aromatic tea by Indigenous peoples across the Southwest and southern Great Plains, it readily pioneers dry, calcareous soils and disturbed roadsides where little else thrives.

WildflowerDrought TolerantPollinator Magnet
Stiff Greenthread reference1 / 7
(c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotoautotrophic
Predators
  • Grasshoppers
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Cattle
ThreatsHabitat conversion to intensive agriculture, heavy herbicide application, and competition from invasive exotic grasses
HabitatsDry prairies, calcareous slopes, disturbed sandy soils, open pastures, and roadsides
Life spanAnnual or biennial
Classification
  1. OrderAsterales
  2. FamilyAsteraceae
  3. GenusThelesperma
  4. SpeciesThelesperma filifolium
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Optimal Viewing: Search dry, limestone-rich soils, caliche banks, and sunny prairie roadsides between March and October.
  • Foliage Identification: Look closely at the stem leaves, which are deeply dissected into wiry, thread-like segments.
Related species
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