Lyreleaf Greeneyes Berlandiera lyrata
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Berlandiera incisa
- Berlandiera lyrata var. purpurea
- Phonetic Spelling
- bur-lan-dee-AIR-ah ly-RAH-tah
- Description
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Named after French-Swiss physician Jean-Louis Berlandier, who gathered plants in Texas and northern Mexico in the 1800's. Chocolate daisy is a mounding perennial wildflower native to the southwestern USA and Mexico in the Asteraceae (daisy) family. Its common name is derived from the scent of its flowers that smell like chocolate. Also referred to as 'green-eyes' comes from the green disk shaped flower center that remain after the petals fall off.
Its native habitat includes dry, rocky limestone with well-drained soil, which also includes other disturbed locations such as roadsides, vacant lots, plains, mesas, grasslands and other disturbed soil locations.
When conditions become too wet, the plant can topple over. However, branchlets will form along the prone stem. From these branchlets, additional flowers will bloom.
In the proper conditions, i.e. warm weather, it will flower year round. It can be mowed in the early part of the summer after the first bloom. It will again grow and flower. Deadheading will also lead to continuous flowering. Its seed can be collected year round. Division in not a recommended method for propagation as the long taproot can be damaged.
Its flowers can be used as a seasoning.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Heavy soil with wet conditions can lead to root rot.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Berlandiera
- Species:
- lyrata
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southwestern USA, Mexico
- Distribution:
- AZ, CO, KS, NM, OK, TX
- Wildlife Value:
- Bees, butterflies and birds are attracted to this plant.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Easy to Grow
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Mounding
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a flattened pubescent cypsela (a dry, single seeded fruit).
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Yellow ray flowers with a reddish/brown center. The flowers will open in the morning, but begin to droop as the heat of the day sets in. As the petals are plucked, the scent of chocolate can be detected. The lower side of the petals have red veins or can be entirely red.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Velvety
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Obovate
- Spatulate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The lower leaves have short branches at the base of the plant and longer branches that end with a leafless stalks where its flowers heads bloom. The underside is a lighter green to white.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- The stems can be branched. They are striped with parallel lines.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Pool/Hardscape
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
