Skeleton-Leaf Goldeneye

Viguiera Stenoloba

This native member of the sunflower family forms an attractive, deep-green mound with finely-textured aromatic leaves. It flowers from summer until frost.

Size: Listed to 3 feet tall; normally grows to about a foot to a foot and a half. It will spread to about 2-3 feet.

Soil: Skeleton-leaf goldeneye is native to very rocky areas, so it needs very well-drained soil to grow well. If you grow it in clay soils, add decomposed granite and possibly plant on small berms.

Light: It loves the heat and will do great in full sun, but can also take light shade.

Water: Very drought tough once established. Will benefit from irrigation in prolonged drought.

Perennial: In cold winters it will die back to the ground but will re-emerge from the roots. In mild winters it will be evergreen, but it would still benefit from shearing-back to encourage new, bushier growth. Otherwise it will get leggy and unattractive. Cut the plants back to about 6 inches in late winter.

Flowers: Yellow daisy flowers from late spring/summer to frost.

Wildlife benefit: Flowers attract beneficial pollinators.

Deer-resistant: The gorgeous, finely-textured foliage is aromatic, containing volatile oils, and so has some resistance to deer.