June 2004

Well, the plant was all set to flower this year--2 flowers in fact, but then a friend came over with her dog, dog saw a squirrel, squirrel climbed up tree--you guessed it, right where the Chocolate Daisy plant is-- and Dog crushed plant completely and missed Squirrel.

There's rebound foliage, but I think it missed its starring moment for this year.

2002

This wildflower is found growing in grassy areas in gravelly or rocky soil, common along roadsides in Southeastern Colorado, and native from southern Kansas south through western Texas and from New Mexico to Mexico. The genus name honors Jean-Louis Berlandier, a French-Swiss physician who collected plants in northern Mexico and Texas in the early 1800s. Blooming year round in warm weather, this flower absolutely smells like chocolate and in the morning and on warm days it will fill the air with fragrance! Drought-tolerant, this plant is an excellent choice for xeriscaping. Once started, it is self-sowing, but it is never invasive. In rich soil with extra water, the plant may fall over but it will send up branchlets along the stem which will produce more flowers. Likes sun to partial shade. Hardy Zones 8-11. Given its long bloom period, wonderful aroma, butterfly attracting properties & that it's also useful in dried arrangements--this plant is a must for any garden where it will grow! In my garden, this plant is in a section that is turning into a themed Chocoholics Haven where the chocolate scents of nature will simultaneously hit you from multiple directions from these flowers, the Chocolate Mint that is already in place, and the Chocolate Orchid & Chocolate Cosmos I plan to put here as well.