Desert Sunflower. Geraea canescens, Aster or Sunflower Family also known as the Composite Family: ( Compositae ), Desert Sunflower: Also Called: Desert gold, Hairy Desert Sunflower. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. The desert sunflower has a yellow sunflower-like flower, each flower on a slender, hairy stem. It grows 1-3 feet high. The leaves are gray-green and grow to 3 inches long. It flowers February through May after sufficient rainfall. It also will flower in October to November following good summer rains. Geraea canescens is native to western North America, specifically Arizona, Nevada, California, and Utah. A drought-avoiding annual plant, it can be found in the California, Mojave, and Sonoran Deserts. It grows from sea level to 4,265 feet in sandy desert soil in the company of creosote brush. It is a colorful annual popular with bees and birds, while the seeds are an important food source for birds and rodents. Quick Notes: Height: Up to about 12 to 36 inches. Spreading out to about 32 inches wide. Flowers: Two-inch, golden-yellow flower heads appear at the ends of branches. Flowers are composed of 10 to 20 oblong rays surrounding the golden disk. Flowering Time: February to May, October to November. Leaves: Gray-green, ovate, leaves grow to 3 inches long and have toothed margins. Found: Native of the southwestern Great Plains of North America. the southwest, and northern Mexico. Hardiness: 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) 8.6 to 9.0 (strongly alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Elevation: 0 - 4,265 Feet. Habitat: Alkaline, well-drained/light soils. Dry slopes and washes in the desert environs, where it occupies open, sandy washes bajadas, and roadsides. Up to and including some oak woodland areas. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken April 29, 2003. Skunk Creek Wash In Glendale, Arizona.

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