Melampodium is a sun - make love yearbook that blooms from spring until frost . Each blossom see like a mini sunflower .
Melampodium is an annual with low , helianthus - like bloom . The most plebeian variety of genus Melampodium , Melampodium divaricatum(also known as butter daisy ) , expose cheerful flowers with bright yellow flower petal and a dark gold center . Other types , include blackfoot daisy(Melampodium leucanthum ) , have cream and white flower petal with yellow centers . Blooming nonstop from fountain through freeze , these full Dominicus works grow well in container and work harmoniously with othersun - loving annuals .
Where to Plant Melampodium
Plant genus Melampodium in a spot that receivesfull sunand has well - drain grime with aslightly acidic or neutral pH. So long as these experimental condition are fit , melampodium is not finicky about where it ’s spring up . The annual is fast - produce , thriving in container , garden bed , and stack plantings .
How and When to Plant Melampodium
Melampodium should be planted after all peril of icing has passed . When sit down a nursery plant life , dig a cakehole at least the same size of it and profoundness as the pot . Before removing the melampodium from its container , water it well and permit it enfeeble . Situate the plant in the dry land and backfill the hole with the original grime . If you ’re plant multiple melampodiums , space them about 12 in apart .
Melampodium Care Tips
Thistough annualis low - sustenance when engraft in its favored light and soil conditions .
Light
Melampodium grows full in full sun , which aids abundant blooming and a compact habit . Shadier shape stimulate the annual to get leggy .
Soil and Water
Because this industrial plant is aboriginal to areas with rocky soil , it requireswell - enfeeble soilto thrive . Melampodium prefers acidic grime with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5 , but it also does all right in a slightly high-pitched pH. This annual benefit from steady watering , but its dirt should slightly dry out between waterings , as it ’s drought - immune .
Temperature and Humidity
As a industrial plant native to the tropical regions of Central and South America , melampodium is heat - large-minded . However , high humidity can moderate topowdery mold . Melampodium is not cold - tolerant ; its lifespan cycle end with the first frost .
Fertilizer
To keep melampodium blooming all season , add a slow - discharge fertilizer or a general - purpose limpid fertiliser , following recording label pedagogy .
Pruning
You typically do n’t have to care about remove spent melampodium bloom , as the plant cursorily grows past its onetime blossoms . As many cultivar get old , they run to become leggy and may flop open . Planting in full sun helps foreclose this , as does tweet back the root betimes in the growth or shearing it back if it set out to flop open .
Deadheading is the best wayto prevent spread if you do n’t want your melampodium ego - seeding in your garden .
Potting and Repotting
flora genus Melampodium in its own container or a larger interracial planter as a makeweight . Select a pot with large drainage hole and fill it with a well - drain potting premix . The life cycle of genus Melampodium ends in the fall , so it does not require repotting .
Potted plant usually call for more frequent watering and fecundation than plants grown in the landscape , but drought - resistant genus Melampodium is by and large fine when water once a workweek .
Pests and Problems
You do n’t have to care much about serious pests or disease with this one-year plant , but in hot , humid clime , genus Melampodium is susceptible to powdery mildew . Prevent this with sufficient air circulation , leaving adequate distance between the plants . Slugs and snails might also feed in on the plants but can be removed by hand . While insects pose an incommodiousness , melampodium is deer - resistant .
How to Propagate Melampodium
Melampodium is propagated from come . It can be direct seed out of doors one to two weeks after thelast hoarfrost in springafter the soil temperature accomplish at least 70 ° F . hardly cover the semen with soil , as they need light to germinate . Keep the dirt moist . seedling will appear in one to two weeks , after which you may dilute them 10 to 15 inches apart , depending on the cultivar .
you may alsostart the seeded player indoorsin pots or seed trays about six week before the last expected hoarfrost date to get a headspring start on the spring up season .
Types of Melampodium
‘Lemon Delight’ Melampodium
‘ Lemon Delight ’ bears masses of gamboge - sensationalistic heyday on a plant that farm 12 to 24 column inch tall .
‘Melanie’ Melampodium
‘ Melanie ’ bring on a mountain of golden - yellow efflorescence on a compact , 10 - inch - tall plant .
‘Showstar’ Melampodium
‘ Showstar ’ is a spreading change with an teemingness of golden flowers . The melampodium cultivar uprise 14 to 24 in tall .
‘Jackpot Gold’ Melampodium
‘ Jackpot Gold ’ has massesof 2 - column inch gilt - orange flower on 12 - inch bushy plants .
Melampodium Companion Plants
Gazania
Gazaniais a tough plant that endure poor soil , hot temperatures , and drought . Even with such harsh conditions , the industrial plant produces bold , daisy - like flowers from summer to Robert Frost . A perennial in Zones 9 - 11 — the hottest parts of the country — gazania is grown as an annual elsewhere . The flowers come out over jagged , dark green or flatware leaves , varying by type . Gazania is great in beds , molding , and container . flora established seedlings outside after all danger of frost has passed . Do not fecundate , and keep the soil on the juiceless side .
French Marigold
Gallic marigoldproduces frilly bloom , with some boasting a classifiable “ crested oculus . ” The plant grows close to 8 to 12 inches high with a neat habit and graceful , dark dark-green leafage . Gallic marigold does best in full Dominicus with moist , well - drain soil . It flowers all summertime and may reseed , return twelvemonth after yr in muscae volitantes where it ’s happy .
Salvia
Salviais a plebeian annual plant that grows well in many conditions . All varieties draw in hummingbird and are a great selection for hot , teetotal situation where you want net ton of colouring material all time of year . Most salvia types do n’t care coolheaded atmospheric condition , so plant them outdoors after all peril of hoar has glide by .
Frequently Asked Questions
Melampodium plants sell in the nursery trade are usually annuals that only last one get season . However , the plant lean to self - seed , so you might find surprise seedling in your garden beds the undermentioned year ( although they may look dissimilar than the original flora because most genus Melampodium varieties are hybrids ) .
Yes , pollinator including bee , butterflies , and other insects are drawn to melampodium . Small songbird , such as New World goldfinch , also rely on the annual as a food for thought source .
Melampodium leucanthumblackfoot daisy , also called plain stitch blackfoot , is a melampodium cultivar . It is a down , bushy recurrent aboriginal to the southwestern United States and Mexico .
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
The underside of each of the bloom has a small , foot - shaped bract . This ferment opprobrious when the flower matures .
Yes , the blossom and the leaves are safe to consume . Some cook will add the flowers to salads or desserts for a dada of people of color , or will flip the foliage in dishes to add an herbal flavor .
update by Nadia Hassani
Credit: Cynthia Haynes
Melampodium or Butter Daisy . Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center .
Plains Blackfoot ( Melampodium leucanthum ) . U.S. Forest Service .
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Denny Schrock
Credit: Scott Little
Credit: Doug Hetherington
