Baileya multiradiata

Common Names

Desert Marigold, Paper Daisy, Showy Desert Marigold, Many-flowered Desert Marigold, Desert Marigolds, Desert Baileya, Hierba Amarilla, Wild Marigold, Wooly Desert Marigold, Mary’s Gold

Summary

Desert Marigold is a sun-loving wildflower native to deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It forms a clumping mound with silvery-gray, woolly foliage and long leafless stems bearing bright yellow, daisy-like flowers; plants grow about 12–18 inches tall and 24–30 inches wide, bloom from March to November, self-sow readily, and tolerate drought and heat.

It prefers full sun and well-drained, dry soils, tolerating sandy or caliche soils and alkaline conditions; after establishment, water is infrequent and overwatering should be avoided; it is hardy in USDA zones 7–11 and propagates by seed (fall or early spring) with reseeding common; practical uses include xeric and native landscapes, rock gardens, erosion control, roadside plantings, and pollinator habitats, with flowers attracting bees and butterflies and seeds feeding birds; it is toxic to sheep and goats.

Lifecycle

Annual, Biennial, or short-lived perennial.

Height

1-2 feet

Spread

1-2 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Sandy, well-drained soil, alkaline

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil, dry, sandy or gravelly soils.

Soil pH

6.6-9.0

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring through Fall

Foliage Color

Gray-green to silvery-green foliage.

Fall Foliage Color

Gray

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds.