Shrub · Deer-resistant
Damianita
Chrysactinia mexicana
Also called: Damianita Daisy
A low evergreen cushion of fine, aromatic foliage smothered in golden daisies in spring and again in fall. As drought- and heat-proof as any native gets.
Growing & care
Absolutely requires sharp drainage and full sun — the fastest way to kill it is water. Shear lightly after bloom. Superb for hot rock gardens and parking strips.
Bloom season
In bloom: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · Colors: yellow
Where to buy
Look for damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana) at: native Texas nurseries.
Sources
Range, nomenclature, and the USDA symbol above come from the federal plant record for this species. Check it yourself:
Good for
Plant it with
Natives that pair with damianita
Same conditions, same uses — species that share damianita's growing requirements and belong in the same bed.
Agarita
Berberis trifoliolata
A spiny blue-grey evergreen that bees swarm in late winter and birds nest inside for protection.
Texas Kidneywood
Eysenhardtia texana
An airy shrub that throws spikes of vanilla-scented white flowers after every rain, drawing clouds of bees and butterflies.
Texas Mountain Laurel
Dermatophyllum secundiflorum
A slow-growing evergreen with glossy leaves and drooping clusters of purple flowers that smell exactly like grape soda each spring.
White Mistflower
Ageratina havanensis
A rounded shrub that erupts in fragrant, frothy white bloom in autumn — perfectly timed for migrating Monarchs, which can cover it in numbers..
Autumn Sage
Salvia greggii
The workhorse of the water-wise Texas garden: a small evergreen shrub that blooms nearly year-round and shrugs off heat, drought, and deer..
Blackfoot Daisy
Melampodium leucanthum
A tidy mound smothered in honey-scented white daisies for most of the year.