Where to Buy Wildflower Seed Desert Botanical Garden 1201 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ 85008 (480) 941-1225 www.dbg.org Wildseed P.O. Box 27751 Tempe, AZ 85285 (480) 276-3536 Plants of the Southwest 3095 Agua Fria Rd. Sante Fe, NM 87507 1-800-788-SEED (7333) www.plantsofthesouthwest.com Wildseed Farms 100 Legacy Drive – P.O. Box 3000 Frederickburg, TX 78624-3000 1-800-848-0078 www.wildseedfarms.com For more information about growing wildflowers at home call the Desert Botanical Garden Plant Hotline at (480) 941-1225
Desert Botanical Garden 1201 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, Arizona 85008 (480) 941-1225 www.dbg.org
Desert Botanical Garden Harriet K. Maxwell Desert Wildflower Trail
Tips for Growing Wildflowers in Your Desert Landscape
For winter-spring wildflowers, plant in October, November, or December. Seeds will germinate when nighttime temperatures fall below 70Âş F and moisture is present. Look for a sunny location- one with a minimum of eight hours for good blooming. Avoid compacted soils with poor drainage. If soil is compacted, till in organic compost. To help distribute seeds evenly, mix with filler such as old potting soil, sand, or perlite. Do not bury seeds. Lightly press seed in the soil with back of rake. Keep the soil moist until seedlings emerge. Then water only when you see signs of stress such as wilt or yellowing. Native annuals and perennials should re-seed easily in your landscape. Allow two weeks after the full bloom period has passed for seeds to mature before you cut back.
A few suggested desert-adapted plants to grow year-round in your landscape:
Spring Color Annual Wildflowers orange
Fall/Winter Color
Herbaceous Perennials Abutilon palmeri
Superstition mallow
orange
Chrysactinia mexicana
Damianita
yellow
Epilobium canum ssp. latifolium
California fuschia
red
Salvia greggii
Autumn sage
magenta
Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana
Mexican gold poppy
Castilleja exserta
Owl’s clover
violet
Tagetes lemmonii
Mt. Lemmon marigold
yellow
Phacelia campanularia
Desert bluebells
blue
Tetraneuris acaulis
Angelita daisy
yellow
Anisacanthus quadrifidus
Flame anisacanthus
red
Buddleja marrubiifolia
Woolly butterfly bush
orange
Calliandra californica
Baja fairy duster
red
Calliandra eriophylla
Pink fairy duster
pink
Dalea frutescens
Black dalea
purple
Herbaceous Perennials
Shrubs
Baileya multiradiata
Desert marigold
yellow
Glandularia gooddingii
Gooding’s verbena
purple
Melampodium leucanthum Blackfoot daisy
white
Sphaeralcea ambigua
multi
Desert globemallow
Shrubs Encelia farinosa
Brittlebush
yellow
Encelia farinosa
Brittlebush
yellow
Justicia californica
Chuparosa
red
Justicia californica
Chuparosa
red
Justicia sonorae
Sonoran water-willow
purple
Summer/Fall Color Annual Wildflowers Gaillardia pulchella
Blanket flower
red/yellow
Helianthus annuus
Sunflower
yellow
Kallstroemia grandiflora
Arizona poppy
orange
Proboscidea parviflora
Devil’s claw
pink
Herbaceous Perennials Baileya multiradiata
Desert marigold
yellow
Berlandiera lyrata
Chocolate flower
yellow
Datura wrightii
Sacred datura
white
Machaeranthera bigelovii
Purple aster
purple
Salvia farinacea
Mealycup sage
purple
Senna covesii
Desert senna
yellow
Thymophylla pentachaeta
Golden fleece
yellow
Zinnia acerosa
Desert zinnia
white
What are Annuals and Perennials? Annual plants or ephemerals, live out their entire life cycle from seed to flower to seed within a single growing season. All roots, stems, and leaves of the plant die. Only the dormant seed bridges the gap between one generation and the next. Perennial plants persist for more than two growing seasons. Herbaceous perennials are non-woody plants. Shrubs are woody perennials. Sometimes the leaves or top portion of the plant die back in winter or summer (depending on the species) and regrow when conditions are favorable. Many perennial plants stay green year round. In some cases when growing a perennial from seed, the blooms will not be produced until the following year.