Baileya multiradiata
desert marigold
Southwestern United States and northern Mexico
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesDeer ResistantDrought TolerantContainer Friendly
Native to North America
Overview
Baileya multiradiata is a short-lived perennial or annual in the aster family, forming a low mound 10-18 inches (25-45 cm) tall and wide. The deeply lobed, silvery-gray leaves are densely woolly and cluster near the base, while long, nearly leafless stalks lift yellow flower heads 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) across well above the foliage. Each head carries 25-50 or more ray florets, and flowering continues from spring through fall whenever soil moisture allows, often pausing in peak summer heat and resuming after rain. The papery, faded flower heads persist on the plant as seeds ripen. B. multiradiata grows in sandy and gravelly desert soils, along roadsides, washes, and open flats across the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It withstands intense sun, heat, and drought but is short-lived and rots in wet or poorly drained ground. The plant reseeds prolifically, so colonies renew themselves even as individual plants fade after one to three years. The foliage contains compounds toxic to livestock when grazed in quantity.
Native Range
Native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, from California and Nevada east to Texas and south into the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts, growing on sandy and gravelly desert ground.Suggested Uses
Used in xeriscapes, rock gardens, desert wildflower plantings, and along dry borders. The long bloom and silver foliage suit gravel gardens and containers with sharp drainage. It self-sows into open, sunny gaps.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height10" - 1'6"
Width/Spread10" - 1'6"
Bloom Information
Yellow flower heads open from March through October, with the heaviest flush in spring and another after summer rains. Individual plants bloom in repeated waves whenever soil moisture is available. Flowering pauses during the driest, hottest weeks and resumes afterward.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
silvery-grayGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Baileya multiradiata grows in full sun and sharply drained sandy or gravelly soil with a pH from about 6.5 to 8.5. Once established it survives on rainfall alone and needs no supplemental water in most desert gardens. Overwatering and wet, heavy soils cause crown rot and shorten its already brief life. It is grown from seed sown in fall or spring and reseeds where the ground is left undisturbed. Removing faded flower stalks extends the bloom but also reduces self-sowing. No fertilizer is required in lean mineral soils.Pruning
Spent flower stalks are sheared off to prolong blooming and tidy the mound. No other pruning is needed. Plants are left to set some seed late in the season to renew the planting.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons