Native & adapted
Blackfoot daisy
Melampodium leucanthumAlso known as Rock daisy · Plains blackfoot
A compact Southwest native mound with white daisy flowers, excellent drainage tolerance, and uncommon durability in hot, lean sites.
Right plant, right place
Will Blackfoot daisy grow at your Arizona property?
Use in gravelly soil, raised edges, rock gardens, and the upper shoulder of rain basins—not in the basin bottom. It stays tidier when allowed its rounded natural form.
Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b, Desert outskirts · USDA 8b–9b, High desert · USDA 6a–8b.
Light
Sun exposure
Full sun to partial sun. Flowering is strongest with abundant light.
Water
Irrigation
Very low after establishment. It is more likely to fail from wet roots than from ordinary drought.
Planting & stewardship
How to help Blackfoot daisy thrive
- 1
Choose a sharply drained spot and resist enriching the planting hole with heavy compost.
- 2
Water deeply to establish, then let soil dry thoroughly between irrigations.
- 3
Shear lightly after a major bloom flush if the mound opens up.
- 4
Leave some flowers and seed for native insects and birds.