Melampodium leucanthum
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- mel-am-POH-dee-um lew-KAN-thum
- Description
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A low rounded, erect, long-blooming perennial wildflower herb in the Asteraceae family, Blackfoot Daisy is a sturdy, mounding plant, that will flourish in rock gardens and grow up to 4' tall. It blooms in the summer and blooms last until frost. Uniform flower heads are yellow. Along with rock gardens, this plant can also be utilized in mass planting, borders, or in the middle of flower beds. This plant requires full sun and needs to be planted deep in soil. It is heat and drought tolerant, and tolerant of nutritionally poor soils. In late winter, older plants can be cut back halfway to keep them compact. At first glance, Blackfoot Daisy appears to be the twin of White Zinnia (Zinnia acerosa), but flower heads of the latter species have 4-7 broad white rays and a narrow base of several overlapping scales. It is a low water use plant. Needs dry conditions and moist, well-drained soil. This is a taprooted plant, and therefore not subject to divisions.
Quick ID Hints:
- Erect herb with yellow flowers in heads
- Heads with single row ray flowers
- Peduncle with 2 rows of erect white hairs
- 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:
- Melampodium
- Species:
- leucanthum
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- U.S.A. to Mexico
- Distribution:
- Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannas, Dry calcalreous substrates from CO to OK, s. to AZ, c. TX & Mex.
- Wildlife Value:
- Birds love the seeds
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
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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:
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- 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, 11a, 11b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are yellow. Ray flowers are in a single series, and disc flowers are in the center. Inflorescence is a head on terminal, elongated peduncles, 1-1 and 1/2" in diameter. There are few involucral bracts, they are 4-6 in a single series, and are broad and obtuse. Peduncle has 2 rows of erect, whitish hairs.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are linear-oblong, entire to pinnately lobed, have rough hairs, and are 1-2" long.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
