Desert marigold

Baileya multiradiata

Family:: Asteraceae
Elevation:: 2,000 ft – 5,500 ft
Bloom:: Mar – Oct
Region:: Southwest

A short-lived mound of woolly gray-green foliage that floats bright lemon-yellow daisies on slender stalks for much of the warm season. A tough, self-seeding wildflower that lines desert roadsides after rains.

Care · tuned to the Southwest

Water

Very drought tolerant; blooms on rainfall alone but flowers longer with occasional deep watering. Overwatering shortens its life and invites rot; it self-sows readily to persist.

Sun & exposure

Full sun; handles heat and reflected exposure with ease.

Soil

Wants sandy, gravelly, alkaline, sharply drained soil; tolerates poor and disturbed ground and dislikes rich, moist beds.

In the Southwest

Behaves as a short-lived perennial or reseeding annual, so let some seed heads mature to keep a stand going. Deadheading extends bloom. Attractive to native bees and butterflies. Foliage has been reported as toxic to livestock (notably sheep) if grazed heavily.

Common problems & fixes

Short-lived and rots with too much water — dies out in irrigated or heavy soil
Fix — Give it lean, sharply drained soil and minimal water, and let it reseed to maintain a stand.
Leggy with fewer flowers in shade or rich soil
Fix — Site in full, hot sun, skip fertilizer, and deadhead spent stalks to prolong bloom.

Pets & toxicity

Reported toxic to livestock, especially sheep and goats, when grazed in quantity; keep pets from consuming large amounts.

Easy to confuse with

Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) — woody shrub with resinous stems
Paperflower (Psilostrophe spp.) — flowers dry and persist papery on the plant

Sources

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