Black Foot Daisy

Blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum) forms a low, rounded mound of fine gray-green foliage topped with white daisies and yellow centers. This drought-tolerant native perennial flowers through much of the warm season and fits sunny, well-drained plantings. ## Flowers and placement The flower heads have white rays around yellow disk florets; in Arizona they may bloom from March into November, while Texas Tech lists spring, summer and fall. Use it along sunny borders, in rock gardens, or among other dry-site perennials. The species grows naturally on open rocky slopes and grasslands, often on limestone. [Texas Tech University plant profile](https://www.depts.ttu.edu/plantresources/Pages/directories/landscape-info-sheets/herbaceous-info/Melampodium_leucanthum.php); [University of Arizona Cooperative Extension](https://yavapaiplants.extension.arizona.edu/melampodium-leucanthum). ## Growing conditions Give it full sun to light shade and sharply drained soil; Texas Tech notes a preference for well-drained, higher-pH ground and reports USDA zones 4–9. Published size varies: Texas Tech gives 6–12 inches in height and spread, Arizona lists plants to 16 inches tall, and Austin reports a 12–18 inch spread. [Austin Watershed Protection plant guide](https://www.austintexas.gov/watershed-protection/plant-guide/daisy-blackfoot). ## Maintenance Avoid overwatering and let the soil drain between irrigation. Shear lightly if the mound becomes loose or foliage thins; seed propagation is straightforward, and seedlings may appear in favorable rocky sites.