Desert Sunflower
Geraea canescens · Asteraceae
- Form
- Annual herb
- Height
- 1-3 ft
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Water
- Very Low
- Blooms
- Feb, Mar, Apr
- Pet toxicity
- Unknown
- Habitat
- Desert
🌿 California native
Quick facts · Habitat: Desert flats, washes, sandy open ground · Form / size: Spring annual, 1-3 ft · Sun: Full sun · Water: Winter rain only · Blooms: Late winter-spring · Pollinator value: High
Description
A bright yellow desert annual with sunflower-like heads and gray-green, hairy foliage. In strong bloom years it can paint broad desert flats yellow.
Wildlife & pollinators
Native bees, butterflies, and other insects work the flowers; seeds feed small birds and other wildlife.
Habitat & range
Sandy desert flats, washes, bajadas, roadsides, and open desert scrub across Southern California deserts.
In the garden
Best as a seasonal desert wildflower in sandy or gravelly soil. It needs open ground and a winter-rain germination cycle.
Propagation
From seed. Sow in fall on open sandy soil and let plants dry down naturally after seed set.
Where to see it near you
- iNaturalist — observed in Southern California
- Desert flats and washes after good winter rains.
Problems
Very rainfall-dependent. In irrigated garden beds it can get floppy or fail to reseed.
