Viguiera deltoidea parishii

Identification

Description

Desert Sunflower is a interesting perennial shrub with two inch yellow composite flowers that bloom in summer. Our plants go deciduous here in the winters and then come back. They have proved to be hardy to 10 deg. so far but look dead in the winter. If you live in a cold site do not tear the plant out and throw it away after your winter. It sometimes takes a while to crown sprout back from the roots. It grows in some cold spots of Ca., Nev. and Ariz. but they do not get long term cold. The plants do not experience frozen ground well. The sharp cold of the desert seems to be ok. It is native in many soil types and desert rainfall (some winter and summer) amounts of 4-8 inches per year. By the way the evaporation in American deserts range from 70-160 inches/year (MacMahon). That's why if you live in Washington State this plant probably will not work. (Desert plants in wet climates, particularly wet cold winter climates drown.) It is doing well at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in clay. Desert sunflower is really a trip to find in the wild. A this cactus and rocks and stuff, and, huh, what's this plant doing here? Huh? Who snuck out and planted this delicate perennial?