One thing we appreciate about our Austin customers is their love and appreciation for native plants. It may be obvious, but native plants tend to do better than other plants. One of our favorites, and most commonly used, is the Blackfoot daisy (aka the Rock Daisy, or the Plains Blackfoot). Here are some basic facts:
- A healthy Blackfoot daisy can show blooms from March to November.
- They are perennials (meaning that they survive multiple seasons).
- They are native to the central and southwest United States to include: AZ, CO, KS, NM, OK, and TX.
- They typically have 8-10 petals.
- They are honey scented.
- They have a LOW water usage (thus the native areas).
- They are very deer resistant.
Local (or native) plants are awesome. Native plants have a higher chance of succeeding in the environment. Maybe this sounds obvious, but we often forget that the fancy plant we saw at home depot is really from California and it will die as soon as it gets cold outside. When you move from another region is it difficult to remember that the plants you love from your native area often don’t succeed in the insane weather of Central Texas. We have cold snaps that can get into the teens or colder. We routinely get periods of 100+ degrees for an extended period of time. There is really only a handful of plants that are truly native to the area and are prepared for this climate. The Blackfoot daisy is a perfect example.
* Much of this information was gathered thanks to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.