Galphimia glauca [gal-FIM-ee-uh, GLOCK-uh] is a member of the Malpighia family and is commonly called Thryallis or Rain of Gold.
The Thryallis plant is a small, perennial evergreen shrub hailing from the tropical areas of Central America and Mexico.
There it is very commonly used in folk medicine for a wide variety of ailments, including depression and anxiety.
In its native Mexico, it has a number of common names, including:
- Hierba Del Desprecio
- Hierba Del Cuervo
- Calderona Amarilla
- Ojo De Gallina
- Flor Estrella
- Kunze
Thryallis Care
Size and Growth
Rain of Gold can grow to be 4′ to 6′ feet tall and spreads to be about 4′ feet wide.
The plant drops its small, green leaves during cold winter months but, in areas with moderate winters, offers some winter interest thanks to the reddish hue of its stems and branches.
Flowering & Fragrance
In a full sun setting, Flor Estrella is covered with fragrant sweet-scented yellow flowers from early in the springtime until the first frost.
Related: For more on Fragrant Garden Flowers
Lack of sun can cause sparse flowering.
The yellow flowers are attractive to hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators.
Light and Temperature
Although Thryallis can tolerate shade, this sun-loving plant performs best in full sun.
When temperatures drop to 25° degrees Fahrenheit (-4° C), the plant will die back to the ground; however, the roots will survive (especially if well mulched before winter commences).
Generally, thryallis blooms during summer and fall, but in the warmer areas of the state, you may enjoy the flowers year-round. When spring arrives, the plant will quickly regrow.
It is winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8b through 9. Eye-catching yellow flower clusters wave in the breeze at the end of new shoots.
It’s important to note more damage is done to this plant by wind than by cold.
Be sure to choose a sheltered setting.
Watering and Feeding
When first planted, you should keep Kunze well watered until it is established.
Once established, this drought-tolerant shrub requires very little water.
In good quality, well-draining soil, you needn’t fertilize; however, it is a good idea to add organic peat humus and cow manure to the soil when you plant seeds or seedlings.
Thryallis is a very good candidate for low-maintenance landscapes. It is preferable to grow, drought resistant, preferring dry, sandy soil.
Grooming and Maintenance
Depending on the desired effect, either let this plant grow a bit wild throughout most of the growing season or keep it tidily groomed.
Prune the plant to the ground after the first frost and mulch heavily for winter protection. Either way, give it a hard pruning early in the springtime to get it off to an even start.
For an informal, natural appearance, you might just wish to prune lightly, occasionally during the growing season, to control size.
For a more formal appearance, prune more often to maintain the desired shape and size.
Even prune it for use as a topiary presentation.
Frequent pruning will result in the loss of flowers.
How To Propagate Galphimia Glauca
Thryallis is successfully propagated by sowing the seeds while they are still green.
In ideal conditions, the plant will self-sow.
- Alternately, take tender, softwood cuttings during the summertime.
- Dip the ends of the cuttings in rooting powder and insert them into good-quality, well-draining soil.
- When the seedlings are about six months old and/or approximately a foot high, they should start to bloom.
Galphimia Glauca Pest or Disease Problems
When healthy, Ojo De Gallina is virtually pest-free.
It may occasionally be bothered by mites or caterpillars.
Related: Read How To Stop Caterpillars from Eating My Plants.
Thryallis plants are also generally disease-free, but as with any plant, Rain of Gold may experience problems with root rot if it is made to stand in water or overcrowded.
Always use well-draining soil, and space the plants about 3′ to 5′ feet apart.
Is The Thryallis Plant Toxic or Poisonous?
It’s important to remember this is a plant possessing a wide variety of medicinal properties.
It is used in traditional medicine in Mexico as an antihistamine, an anticonvulsant, an anti-allergic medication, a sedative, and much more.
Kunze contains a wide variety of therapeutic compounds, including phenolics, triterpenoids, and flavonoids.
Current scientific studies are devoted to exploring its use as an anti-inflammatory drug, an antidiarrheal medication, and treatment for a number of other ailments, including malaria and gastroenteritis.
This powerful medicinal plant should not be ingested without proper supervision by an experienced and knowledgeable herbalist and/or a medical doctor.
Are Galphimia Plants Invasive?
Although he grows with wild abandon in its native, very dry settings, this plant is considered exotic outside of Mexico, and it is not known to be invasive.
Suggested Uses For Thryallis Galphimia Glauca
This attractive, fast-growing plant makes an excellent privacy hedge or screen in the summer.
In areas with mild winters, it can provide some winter interest because of its intricate form, attractive trunks, branches and stems, and persistent fruit.
It makes a nice understory for very tall trees or trees having sparse leaves and tall plain trunks (e.g., palm trees).
Landscape uses for thryallis adding height and color to a blank wall along a walk or drive informal hedge lining a patio, deck, or porch surrounding the base of palms or tall trees that let enough light through corner-of-the-house accent privacy planting (especially when allowed to grow a bit taller) background plant for shorter shrubs and flowers.
In this sort of setting, Rain of Gold adds a lot of visual interest and can still receive the sun it needs to flower abundantly.
This tall, pretty plant makes a nice backdrop for shorter flowering plants in contrasting colors.