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Malacothrix spp.
desert dandelion
Overview
Malacothrix is a genus of about 20 species of annual and perennial herbs in the daisy family (Asteraceae), native to western North America, where many grow in deserts, dunes, and dry open ground. Plants are low, often 4 to 16 inches (10 to 40 cm) tall, with a basal rosette of lobed or toothed leaves and milky sap typical of the dandelion tribe. The flower heads are made up entirely of strap-shaped ray florets, yellow or white and sometimes with a red or darker central ring, opening on slender, branching stems. M. glabrata, the desert dandelion, carpets sandy desert flats with pale yellow flowers in wet springs, while M. californica bears creamy white heads. Annual species germinate with autumn and winter rains and bloom in spring, completing their cycle before summer heat. Plants grow in full sun on lean, sandy, or gravelly soils and need little water. The open flowers draw native bees and other insects. Bloom is sparse or absent in dry years.
Native Range
Native to western North America, from the deserts and dry valleys of the southwestern United States and Mexico north to the Great Basin and Pacific coast. Many species are concentrated in the Mojave, Sonoran, and coastal sage and dune habitats of California and the Southwest.Suggested Uses
Grown in desert and native plant gardens, rockeries, and wildflower seed mixes, where the annual species give a spring carpet of yellow or white in sunny, sandy beds. They are used to revegetate disturbed desert ground and as a nectar source for native bees. Plants combine with other desert annuals and drought-tolerant perennials.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 1'4"
Width/Spread4" - 1'
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs mainly in spring, from February to May, after autumn and winter rains, with the annual species blooming in showy flushes across desert flats. In favorable wet years bloom can be heavy and widespread; in dry years it is sparse or fails. Individual heads last several days.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
yellow or white, sometimes with red centerFoliage Description
green to grey-greenGrowing 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