Baileya multiradiata is a North American species of sun-loving wildflowers native to the deserts of northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States including our own state of Arizona. Although called a desert marigold, it is only a remote relative of the true marigolds of the genus Tagetes. Baileya multiradiata is a short-lived perennial to annual that forms a clumping patch of silvery-green foliage which bears many tall, naked stems, each topped with a bright yellow daisy-like flower head. Read on to learn more.
Growing Desert Marigolds
It is not always simple to choose the right plant for a dry, hot and windy landscape. Sometimes, additional effort from the gardener despite their best efforts can’t make plants grow in this situation. If your landscape has such conditions, try growing tough and pretty desert marigold plants. Desert marigold are showy, solitary flowers that thrive in these difficult conditions. Get started growing the desert marigold flower by planting seeds in a sunny area. Desert marigold plants are not picky about soil types, but they do need good drainage. Furry, silvery foliage will soon appear, followed by blooms of the desert marigold flower. While it is not necessary to water regularly, an occasional drink makes flowers grow quickly and results in a bigger bloom. Caring for desert marigold is this easy. Use desert marigold plants as part of a wildflower garden in hot, dry areas. Once planted, the desert marigold flower drops seeds for multiple plants to grow from later on. If reseeding is not desirable for your landscape, remove spent blooms before the seeds drop. This deadheading also encourages more flowers to bloom. Now that you’ve learned how to grow desert marigolds, get some planted in the desert landscape where other plants are hard to grow. Information about desert marigolds say they’re native to Mexico and grow well in most western areas of the United States. Plants may be damaged when temperatures reach below freezing, so protection in these situations may be necessary.
Photo: Chris Curtis, 2006. Other source: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/desert-marigold/growing-desert-marigolds.htm
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