Plant of the Month: July 2013
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This cherry, aromatic perennial releases a new batch of cocoa scent each morning.
Chocolate Flower
Berlandiera lyrata
- Plant Form: Perennial Flower
- Water Use: Low – Moderate
- Mature Size: 18 inches tall, 2 feet wide
- Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
- Bloom Time: April – November
- Native to: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico
- Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 5°F
Chocolate Flower smells good enough to eat, but it’s also a cheery, flowering perennial with sprays of yellow, daisy-like flowers (with colorful maroon stripes under each petal) from late spring to fall. This mounding herb blooms at night and early morning, making a new supply of cocoa scent overnight before the petals droop by afternoon. Can be used in a wildflower meadow or as an accent, and likes full sun, but tolerates filtered sun and any soil type with good drainage. Collect seed in summer to propagate more plants, and cut back in winter for fuller plants next spring. The rich scent of the flowers carries quite a distance downwind, and the fragrance of cut bouquets as a nosegay can be appreciated all day. Install near patios or breakfast nook for early morning delight. A must for any chocoholic gardener.
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