prairie wildflower
Engelmann daisy
Engelmannia peristenia
Also known as Engelmann's Daisy, Cutleaf Daisy
1 of 2Native to Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas
South-central North America from Kansas, Arkansas, and Colorado in the north, south through Texas and New Mexico to northeastern Mexico
- Light Full sun Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry Moisture preference
- Zones n/a Cold to heat range
- Bloom Mar–Jun Flowering time
- Height up to 3 ft to 0.9 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A prairie wildflower for full sun and lean, dry soil. Its yellow flowers peak in April. At up to 3 ft, it suits meadows and sunny borders.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
When it blooms
The Engelmann daisy's yellow flowers bloom March to June, peaking in April. This spring display draws butterflies and bees.
Engelmann daisy blooms yellowFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Butterflies Black Swallowtail
also Pearl Crescent, Painted Lady, Gray Hairstreak +14 more
American Lady, Orange Sulphur, Variegated Fritillary, Checkered White, Marine Blue, Bordered Patch, Reakirt's Blue, Western Pygmy-Blue, Texan Crescent, Lyside Sulphur, Vesta Crescent, Gorgone Checkerspot, Nysa Roadside-Skipper, Abaeis nicippe - Bees Ligated Furrow Bee also Western Honey Bee, Tripartite Sweat Bee, Pseudopanurgus albitarsis
- Flower flies Margined Calligrapher also Yellow-shouldered Drone Fly, Tufted Globetail
- Also visited by
- Moths: Inornate Pyrausta Moth
- Wasps: Keyhole Wasp
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- American ladynectar
- Black swallowtailnectar
- Checkered whitenectar
- Gorgone checkerspotnectar
- Gray hairstreaknectar
- Marine bluenectar
- Orange sulphurnectar
- Painted ladynectar
- Pearl crescentnectar
- Reakirt's bluenectar
- Sleepy orangenectar
- Variegated fritillarynectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and TexasUnited States (6): AR, CO, KS, NM, OK, TX. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- South-central North America from Kansas, Arkansas, and Colorado in the north, south through Texas and New Mexico to northeastern MexicoThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sunHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Soil
- Calcareous loams and clays. Found on dry, open sandy or limestone sitesThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.5The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- LowHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 3 ft (to 0.9 m)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 20+ in (51+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Mar–JunWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- YellowThe bloom color, or colors.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- SeedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.1 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- RapidHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.