The Genus Thymophylla
Dogweeds
Family: Asteraceae
Perennial plants under a foot tall, spreading about twice as wide and reseeding prolifically to create colonies. Foliage is mostly evergreen, aromatic (smells like parsley). Small yellow daisy flowers appear almost any time of year with warmer weather.
Plant in full to part sun, moderate to low water when established. Hardy to 0°F.
Nectar rich flowers provide to many butterflies, bees, and other insect pollinators. Larval host for the Dainty Sulphur (Nathalis iole).
Used for fevers and to flavor tobacco.
Thymophylla is a genus of about 13 species in the SW United States and Mexico. Thymophylla is from the Greek thymos, thyme, and phyllon, for leaf, alluding to the similarity to the leaves of the thyme plant. Many plants in this genus were formerly in the genus Dyssodia.
Parralena (Thymophylla pentachaeta) is a more herbaceous species, and probably the most common of the Arizona native species in the trade.
Pricklyleaf Dogweed (Thymophylla acerosa) is more woody at the base and longer-lived, but less common in the trade.
Dahlberg Daisy or Golden Fleece (Thymophylla tenuiloba) is the more familiar species found in nurseries nationally--you'll see 6-packs of these right next to Petunias. It is still a southwestern native and does fine in our region, with a little more water than the two Arizona species.