Damianita Daisy.
Chrysactinia mexicana, Aster Family ( Asteraceae ), Damianita Daisy. Also called: Calanca, Damianita, False Damiana, Garanona, Hierba de San Nicolas, Mariola, Romerillo, San Nicolas, Yeyepaxtle.

We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia.

Chrysactinia mexicana is a small evergreen shrub with dark green, highly aromatic needle-like leaves, and it is extremely heat and drought tolerant. This feature plus its long blooming period, compact shape and evergreen foliage make it a valuable Xeriscape landscape plant. It is especially showy in mass plantings and very useful for erosion control.

The empty seedheads will remain on the plant for some time looking like tiny starbursts.

Plant in frost free areas, will be killed by frost but comes back in the spring. Butterfly and honeybee attractor.

Quick Notes:

Height: Height about 12 inches. Spreading about 2 feet.

Flowers: Golden yellow, daisylike flowers that are small--about 1/2 inch across.

Flowering Time: March - October in Arizona.

Leaves: Green, small, linear, and VERY aromatic.

Found: Native to New Mexico and western Texas in the U.S; also Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo Le�n, and Tamaulipas in Mexico. We see it throughout lower elevations in Arizona as a landscape plant. The USDA claims it is native to the USA (NM, TX).

Hardiness: While it is said to be cold hardy to 0 �F; our experience would say only to 15 �F.

USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 �C (0 �F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 �C (5 �F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F)

Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline)

Sun Exposure:
Full Sun.
Sun to Partial Shade.
Light Shade.

Elevation: 0 to 2,900 feet In Arizona.

Habitat: Well-drained, but moist, sandy, poor to moderately fertile soils. Agricultural areas, coastland, natural forests, planted forests, range/grasslands, riparian zones, ruderal/disturbed, scrub/shrublands, urban areas. A Xeriscape Landscape plant.

Miscellaneous: Photos Taken; March 10, 2008. Glendale, Arizona. An ideal xeriscape landscape plant at low elevations in Arizona.