Accession Count: 3
Common Name:
damianita
Family Name:
Asteraceae
Botanical Name:
Chrysactinia mexicana
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Chrysactinia mexicana is an evergreen shrub, with a low and mounding growth habit. This shrub can grow up to two feet in height and two in width. The damianita is mostly herbaceous, but can become woody. The leaves are dark green, aromatic, needle-like, and approximately one third of an inch long. The flowers extend from the branch tips, and from each branch blooms a single, composite, yellow, one inch in diameter flower. The fruit is very small, about one eighth of an inch long.
Compound:
Chr mex
Geographic Origin:
Southwest US, Mexico
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
Chrysactinia mexicana is native to Mexico, and is the most widely distributed member of the genus Chrysactinia in Mexico. It can be found in sixteen different Mexican states, mostly in the East, but also by the United States border, and down into the South (3). This hardy plant is also native to Texas (around the Trans-Pecos and Edwards Plateau areas) and New Mexico (4). Recently, this plant has become more popular throughout the South-West as a decorative shrub and can now be found in Arizona and California.
Cultivation Notes:
C. mexicana is a shrub that typically grows in arid regions. The transition and arid xeriscape zones are best suited for this plant. The damianita grows best in full sun, and is tolerant of caliche and rocky soils. This shrub is very drought tolerant, and cold hardy to 0°F. If the plant develops wood, it is recommended to prune it back severely in the early spring.
Ethnobotany:
In modern landscapes, C. mexicana is used as both a flower and a shrub. This plant can be used in a mass planting, and its compact size makes it useful for areas with little space, such as in courtyards and along walkways. This plant can also be used in a flower garden as a ground cover plant or
border plant for a flower bed (5).
Height:
0 - 5 feet
Width:
0 - 5 feet
Growth Rate:
Moderate Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
Spring
Color:
Yellow
Function:
Accent
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
