Baileya multiradiata
With its gay pitcher’s mound of yellow blooms , desert marigold is a waterwise specie adapted to arid landscapes .
This drought - large-minded indigene of the American Southwest can provide an eco - well-disposed – and beautiful – alternative to athirst bedding annuals for those in hot , ironical locations .
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B. multiradiataflower.Photo by Stan Shebs, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY-SA.
For gardeners coping with drought and tearing restriction , or those who simply need to relent their environmental impact , it ’s wise to bend to native species for ornamental landscaping .
Natives , by definition , are well - accommodate to the climate , grunge , and rainfall of their original range – make them abject maintenance and easier to care for than non - native species .
The topic of our article is one such native of the arid southwestern United States region . It provides beauty for nurseryman as well as bounteousness for local pollinators , all while demand little in return .
We ’re going to hash out everything you ’ll need to know to produce this lovely and lively wild flower in your own landscape .
Ready for a sneak peep ? Here ’s everything you ’ll find up before :
What You’ll Learn
What Is Desert Marigold?
Classified botanically asBaileya multiradiata , desert marigold is an herbaceous perennial adapted to blistering , ironical landscape .
In spring , these wildflowers start produce a cycle of blooms that can cover all the way through to fall , depending on water availableness .
This wildflower ’s yellow flowers measure one to two inch across , and have panoptic centers and multiple layers of scalloped petal .
These are retain aloft above a basal rosette of deep lobed alternate leave of absence . The basal rosette make about six inches in top .
An adaption to its native reach , this wild flower has grayish - light-green foliage that reflects hot wavelengths of sunlight , helping to keep the plant cool .
Another adaptation to desiccated climate – the plant life ’s foliage is cover with wooly hairs .
These plant have an upright , mounding , and distribute growth habit , contact eight to 24 inches tall and 24 to 30 inches wide . tallness will vary depending on rain and elevation .
This species tolerates insensate temperatures ranging down to about 10 ° F .
maturate best in arid localisation within USDA Hardiness Zones 7b to 10b , B. multiradiatamay be considered an yearly , biennial , or curtly - inhabit perennial calculate on the local develop weather , with a lifetime of one to five years .
Cultivation and History
Desert marigold is native to arid desert orbit of northerly Mexico and the southwestern United States . It is regain in both the Sonoran Desert and the Mojave .
In the wild , it may be found in various habitats including semi - desert grasslands , internal chaparral communities , and desert scrub , as well as desert washing , rocky slopes , and in commove areas such as roadsides .
A penis of the Asteraceae family , B. multiradiatais distantly relate to theTagetesmarigoldsandcalendula(also known as “ pot marigolds ” ) , as well as to other wildflowers aboriginal to North America such asgoldenrod , echinacea , andjoe - pye pot .
The genusBaileyais nominate for chemist and botanist Jacob Whitman Bailey , while the species namemultiradiatameans “ many ray flower , ” refer to the heyday ’ multiple layer of flower petal .
Baileyais a genus that admit only three penis , all of which start in the southwesterly US and Mexico . The other two mintage are laxflower ( B. pauciradiata ) and wooly desert marigold ( B. pleniradiata ) .
The topic of our clause , B. multiradiata , is also hump as “ showy desert marigold , ” “ paper daisy , ” and “ desert baileya . ”
And although this wild flower could stand on its looks alone , it also has a story of ethnobotanical use , including being incorporated into adobe and plaster , as well asbeing used as a deodorant !
However , attention should be call for to keep this species away from some types of farm animal – it ’s toxic to both stooge and sheep .
Propagation
Paper daisy is easily propagate via seed . We ’ll see at the unconscious process for lineal sowing this wildflower as well as some tips for getting potted transplants into the ground .
Direct Sowing
Paper daisy can be sow in in either springtime or in fall – and in both case , gardeners should contrive to seed heavily to account for low germination rates .
If sowing in fall , seed can be inseminate in place .
For spring sowings , stratify seeds in moist grit in the fridge for two to three calendar week before sowing .
When quick to sow , fix the grime by removing weeds from the expanse . There ’s no need to mix in in fertilizer or compost – this coinage does best in lean atmospheric condition .
Level the soil in the growing area , then scrape back a small amount of soil .
Place groups of seeds two to two and a half feet apart , cover with a fourth of an inch of soil , then water in gently .
For drop planting , do n’t provide supplemental irrigation until the spring . For bounce plantings , water infrequently and only as needed .
Seedlings may require slightly more irrigation than instal specimens , depending on local conditions , but take care not to overwater . We ’ll verbalize more about this species ’ water system needs shortly , so keep reading .
Once seedlings are found , thin to one plant every two to two and a half metrical foot .
From Transplants
When transplanting desert marigolds into the landscape , dig a hole that is about twice as across-the-board as the greenhouse pot and about an inch deeper .
take out the transplant from its smoke and rub your hands along the edges of the base ball , to loose the ascendant . absent some of the territory from the specimen ’s base .
meld the soil from the glasshouse potful with the territory you slay from the yap , and target a little of this in the bottom of the trap .
fix the specimen in the trap so the top of its beginning lump is flat with the soil aerofoil , correct the amount of soil beneath the rootage ball if needed . fulfil in around the ancestor with the dirt you removed in the first place .
Water in your graft . If there ’s insufficient rainfall , water more frequently than you would mature plant for the first calendar month or so to help it get found .
How to Grow
This plant will be most rewarding when cultivated in the right clime and ply with the rugged conditions it is accommodate to .
B. multiradiatashould be grown in full sunshine in coarse , flaxen , or jolting soil that drains chop-chop . This species tolerates alkaline soils and grows best within a pH compass of 7.0 to 9.0 .
As for water , in the wild this desert dweller can outlast with as minuscule as 1.8 inches of weewee per year , and as much as 19 inches .
So using those numbers as a reference head and depending on the amount of rain in your area , supply irrigation as needed , but remember to take care not to overwater . A rain gaugecan help to settle the amount of haste you ’ve pick up .
During the heat of summer , these wildflowers can go dormant , but will continue blossom if render with rainwater or supplemental irrigation .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
As a springy native species , when grown in its natural desert climate , this wildflower will need little , if any , upkeep .
This species does n’t require fertilizer – it ’s adapt to growing in lean soil .
skip over organic mulches such as pine bark orleaf compost , which will create conditions that are too humid for this dryland species . But do n’t waver to mulch around this plant with rock or crushed rock .
Mulching can assist plants overwinter more successfullyin summation to slack water loss and preventing widow’s weeds from gaining a beachhead during the originate season .
The flush of this native mintage can be deadheaded , but why not leave behind them and revel them ?
Their faded petal will become papery , providing interest throughout fall and wintertime , and their seeded player will supply food for local bird populations .
And when seeds fell to the flat coat , they can easy produce newfangled plants . However , if you prefer to keep your landscape free of volunteer , you may alwaysdeadhead the spent bloom .
In areas whereB. multiradiataperennializes , cut the established plant back to three to six inches in late wintertime to remove utter foliation and encourage new growth .
Where to Buy
As a desert - adapted works with a fairly limited aboriginal range , this species is n’t one you ’ll be likely to find on the benches at just any big boxwood memory board .
rather , attend for transplanting at local aboriginal plant sales event or make inquiries at the local chapter of your native industrial plant society .
seed , on the other hand , can be a bit easier to find out .
Desert Marigold Seeds
Desert marigold seeds are useable for leverage in mob of 500via Amazon .
Water - Wise Flower Mix
You might also like the Water - Wise Flower Mix , a selection of seedsfrom Botanical Intereststhat include drouth - tolerant metal money likeB. multiradiatain combination with 18 other change .
Managing Pests and Disease
One of the benefits of landscape gardening with natives is that these coinage lean to be well adapt to their local circumstance and less likely to buckle under to plague and disease . Such is the case withB. multiradiata !
This wildflower is more of apollinator magnetthan a pest magnet . And it is not prone to disease as long as it ’s grow in the arid conditions it prefer .
When drain is unequal or irrigation is too heavily - handed , both beginning rot and crown bunk can be job .
However , bar is well-fixed ! Just limit irrigation , grow in tight - drain grunge , and do n’t bother trying to grow this species in blotto , humid locations .
If you ’re starting to realize that your stipulation are n’t really suited for this dryland wildflower and you involve some suggestion for native plants thatwillwork in your climate , check out our article on15 of the best native wildflowers for the US and Canada .
Best Uses
As long as it ’s incorporate into landscape painting where it wo n’t be too coddled , paper daisy can be used in a multitude of way , build a waterwise and low sustentation works for arid climate .
This species can be used formass plantings , incorporate intoxeriscapesand rock garden , or include incut flower gardens . It can also be planted near walls , where it will boom in the reflected heat energy .
It will naturalize easily , and can grow on slopes and along roadsides , helping to stabilize inclines and keep erosion in such location .
And as a aboriginal species , it can be incorporate into anative wild flower landscapeor wildlife garden .
Use it to pull pollinators such as aboriginal bee and other good insects , or include it in a down - water butterfly garden .
Moths also roll in the hay this species , and it ’s a host to the desert marigold moth ( Schinia miniana ) , which forms unique , round cocoons over the flower heads .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Worth Its Weight in ‘Golds
Desert marigold will bring a wealthiness of pleasure to your landscape and a fullness of resources to your local wildlife .
Just ensure you plant it in a well - suited locale , and take charge not to give ittoomuch love ( in the conformation of urine ) , and this wild flower will embellish your landscape with its mounds of prosperous efflorescence .
Looking for otherheat - loving desert speciesfor your landscape ? You ’ll see more right here :
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Kristina Hicks - Hamblin
