Common name: Desert Marigold
Botanical name: Baileya multiradiata

Desert Marigold is a fast growing annual or biennial, forming clumps of soft woolly gray leaves. It has bright, yellow daisy-like flowers that appear spring through fall. Flowers will rot with too much water, as this plant is heat and drought tolerant. Flowers top at 12". Deadheading will prolong bloom; this plant makes great cut flowers. This plant will reseed itself but needs good drainage. It needs full sun but is very cold hardy.

Common name: Desert Encelia
Botanical name: Encelia farinosa

This deciduous mounding shrub typically has gray leaves that can reach 5' tall and wide. However, the leaves will turn white in drought conditions. Bright yellow 1" wide daisies appear in spring and summer. There is rapid growth following rain but this shrub is short-lived. Individual plants will reseed to repopulate. It does well in hot areas but cannot tolerate clay soils due to root rot. It will become overgrown and fragile if over watered.

Common name: Smooth Agave
Botanical name: Agave desmetiana

Agave with an open rosette form grows quickly to 3' x 3'. Very attractive plant resembles Octopus Agave but smaller. Fleshy leaves are light green with smooth edges and a sharp tip. Will grow best in filtered sun or full shade. After several years, flower stalk will appear with bright yellow flowers in spring. Like most agaves, it will die after flowering but produces an abundance of offesets. Somewhat cold sensitive.

Common name: Feathery Cassia or Senna
Botanical name: Senna artemisioides

This evergreen shrub grows to 4'-6' tall and wide. It has leaves that are narrowly pinnate, forming feathery sprays of silvery foliage. Its showy yellow flowers appear at branch tips from late winter through early summer. A very tough plant, this variety will survive under desert conditions or near the coast. It will even tolerate clay soils if kept dry during the summer. The plant is damaged below 20 degrees F.