Plant Encyclopedia

Ornamental Features

Desdemona Rayflower features bold panicles of gold daisy flowers at the ends of the stems from late summer to early fall. Its attractive large serrated round leaves emerge deep purple in spring, turning dark green in color with curious purple undersides and tinges of deep purple throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Desdemona Rayflower is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Desdemona Rayflower is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Desdemona Rayflower will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.