Zexmenia hispida

(aka: Wedelia hispida) I'll bet most of you don't grow many plants this close to the end of the horticultural alphabet. Zexmenia hispida is a wonderful, but sadly little-known native Southwest US (Texas and south into Mexico) perennial. Zexmenia makes an easy-to-grow 2' tall x 3' wide clump of tangled, thin woody stems which spread outward by dropping roots into the surrounding ground. The stems are clothed with small sandpapery leaves and adorned all summer with a steady array of 1" butterscotch orange daisies. In warmer climates, Zexmenia remains evergreen, but goes deciduous as the winters get colder. Zexmenia prefers hot and dry conditions...the opposite of most people!