Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Blackfoot Daisy

In spring, bees are attracted to the honey scent of the Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum), a short-lived mounding perennial that does well in our low desert environment. It flowers from early spring to late fall, and will grow to about one foot high and wide. It is heat, drought, and cold tolerant, and lives longer in our climate than it does in milder regions. The trade-off is that in milder climates with richer soil, it produces far more flowers, but dies sooner.

In Arizona, we claim Blackfoot Daisy to be a native plant, but it’s also called a native plant in Texas and Colorado. Depending on the region where it's grown, other names for it are Desert Daisy, Plains Daisy, or Rock Daisy.

The Blackfoot Daisy is a popular desert garden plant. It looks good tucked around landscape boulders and on slopes, or mixed in with cacti and succulents.


4 comments:

Teri said...

Oh Aiyana, you KNOW I LOVE these. I never heard that name before because and I love daisies and I have just a tiny bit of Blackfoot Indian in my heritage, so this makes it even more interesting for me. I need to adopt this plant :)

WiseAcre said...

I looked it up and this might be one plant that you've posted that I could grow. I'd be pushing the limit but it would be worth the try. I like anything that self sows. Ah who am I kidding I like anything that flowers

Julie said...

What a beautiful flower! I know you are enjoying this time of year!!!

Anonymous said...

Blackfoot daisy grows well here in central Texas although it seems to do better on the western half of Travis county than where I live. I think it objects to the heavy black clay in my garden. I love it though, and seeing your photo reminds me that I should give it another try.