Native Plants

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Tuesday - October 19, 2010

From: Lago Vista, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Pruning, Seasonal Tasks, Herbs/Forbs
Title: How do I prepare blackfoot daisies for winter in Austin, TX
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I have blackfoot daisies in my garden that have bloomed all summer. They are cascading out of the bed onto my lawn/grass. They have been so beautiful that I hate to cut them back. How do I prepare them for the winter and to insure that they return next spring?

ANSWER:

The blackfoot daisy Melampodium leucanthum (Blackfoot daisy) is a great summer bloomer that can withstand the Texas heat. They are hardy in USDA zones 4a to 9b. Lago Vista is in zone 8, so overwintering should not be a problem here.

Some light trimming now to keep them out of the grass and help maintain their mounded shape could be helpful. When the flowers have all gone in November, cutting the plants back to about one half their size will help provide another spring and summer of beautiful fragrant flowers.

From the Image Gallery

Blackfoot daisy
Melampodium leucanthum