Engelmannia peristenia

This plant is known as the Engelmann Daisy. It grows several stout stems that form a rounded crown, with branches reaching up to two feet tall. The plant produces long-stalked, yellow, eight-petaled flowers that open in the late afternoon and fold under intense heat and sunlight the following day. The blooms are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and are found in terminal clusters. The flowers have eight to ten rays, are a half-inch long, indented at the tip, and have eight to ten petals. The winter rosette-forming leaves have deep clefts and are toothed on the underside. The plant thrives in drought conditions and is commonly found on the sides of roads. It is part of the Engelmannia genus, which is unique in that it contains only one species.

The plant's genus is named after George Engelmann (1809-1884), a German-born Missourian who settled in St. Louis as a young man. He was a physician and botanist known for describing several North American plant species. This includes Firs, Agaves, Cactus, Dodder, Spurge Family, Rushes, Cedar, Pines, Grapes, and Yuccas. When he died, much of his collection went to Missouri Botanical Garden.

The Engelmann Daisy is famous on roadsides and blooms well, even in drought conditions. It is excellent for garden borders or wildflower meadows. Each plant forms an evergreen rosette with deeply lobed leaves and grows as a sturdy, heat and drought-tolerant plant. Additionally, birds relish the seeds.

Height: 2'
Spread: 2'
Bloom: March-July
Light: Full sun, Part Shade, Dappled Shade
Water: Low
Zone: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 
Origin: Texas, Central U.S.