Engelmann’s Daisy

Engelmannia Peristenia

This delicate-looking little Central Texas native is actually quite tough. It will bloom its little head off with very little supplemental irrigation, even through the driest of times.

Although, in the intense heat and bright sun of a typical Central Texas summer, the leaves and blooms DO fold in on themselves and look a little wilted. This is just a protective measure, for the plant to shade itself a little bit.

Engelmann’s daisy can be found in both the Edwards Plateau and Blackland Prairie regions of Central Texas, so it tolerates a wide variety of soil types. But if you have heavy clay soil and you overwater or we get a lot of rain, this plant will struggle and may not survive.

Engelmann’s daisy stays pretty small, only getting about 2′ tall and wide. It needs to be planted in the full sun, but can accept some shade during the day.

Engelmann’s daisy will be covered in blooms from spring through summer, then will slow down a bit. But if you’re industrious enough to give it a little haircut in late summer, it will bloom again quite nicely through fall. Since there will be so many spent flowers, it would be virtually impossible to deadhead this plant, so simply shear it back all around, the way you might if you were shaping a much larger shrub.

Beneficial insects love its nectar and small birds will dine on the later seeds if you don’t cut off all the flowers. BUT, it is not deer or bunny resistant.