How would you like to be greeted in the morning by the delicious, rich smell of chocolate from your garden? If that sounds AMAZING, Berlandiera lyrata, or “Chocolate Flower” is the plant for you! When the plant is in full flower, it gives off a distinctive chocolate scent. Yum!
This low-growing perennial has coarse, evergreen foliage, with yellow daisy-like flowers and a maroon center. It grows about 6-8 inches high by 12-18 inches wide and is native to the Southwest and Mexico. The Chocolate Flower thrives in full sun but tolerates filtered sun and is drought tolerant and low maintenance. It adapts to a variety of soils and readily reseeds itself, making it a desirable addition to your wildflower garden.
Plant this perennial in small masses where you can get up close for seasonal color and fragrance – in fact, it’s a perfect choice for a sensory garden. The Chocolate Flower attracts butterflies, bees, and birds. Unfortunately, when first planted out, rabbits like it, too (why wouldn’t a rabbit enjoy chocolate? ????). This would make a perfect addition to your garden for late spring and fall color!
Spring planting season is here! Temperatures are warmer, making it a perfect time to replace plants you may have lost during the winter, or replace your high-water-usage plants with water-thrifty ones. Water – Plant It Wisely is your handy resource to provide landscaping guidance, advice, and ideas on what to plant. Bookmark our landing page, www.waterplantitwisely.com, and return often. Now, let’s do some gardening!
Did you know that up to 70% of water use is outdoors? That is why we love desert plants and feature them each month. Learn more on our Arizona Low-Water-Use Plants page. Visit our page on Choosing and Planting Low Water-Use Plants for tips on plant selection and how to plant properly. Also, be sure to read through all of our featured Plant of the Month blogs!
Feature photo provided by Erin Spear. Middle photo provided by AMWUA, one of nineteen Water – Use It Wisely partners who offer water-saving advice. For a surprisingly diverse selection of over 200 low water use landscape plants, be sure to visit their website, Plants for the Arizona Desert.