Golden Eye
Bahiopsis parishii
A compact Sonoran Desert native with cheerful yellow daisy flowers that attract butterflies in spring and summer.
Hardy in USDA zones 9-11; a low- and Mohave-desert native that tolerates hard sun and heat and is root-hardy through typical Phoenix frosts.
AMWUA Notes
A very-low-water Sonoran and Mohave native; thrives on neglect and reblooms with each rain event.
Care Guide
Very low water once established; water every 2-3 weeks in summer only, and lean drier to avoid a rangy, floppy habit.
Shear or head back by a third after the main bloom flush to keep it compact and to spur reblooming; it responds well to a hard late-winter cutback.
No fertilizer needed in native soil.
Trouble-free; no significant pests in desert plantings.
Semi-deciduous in cold or drought, it carries bright yellow daisies mainly in spring and again after summer rains, going leggy if left unpruned.
Soil, Feeding & Propagation
Rocky, gravelly, fast-draining desert soils; tolerates caliche and alkaline pH 7.5-8.5.
Needs sharp, fast-draining soil.
None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.
From seed; self-sows in favorable spots.
3 ft
Shallow, non-aggressive roots; no hardscape concern.
Placement Tips
- •Compact at about 3 ft; space 3 ft apart and mass for a mounded yellow drift in a native bed.
- •Great filler among cacti, boulders, and accents in a low-water Sonoran design.
- •Clean and low-litter enough for pool surrounds and pathway edges.
- •Keep it pruned periodically or it opens up and flops; site in full, hot sun.
Features
Best Uses
Ecological Value
Attracts
Wildlife Value
Companion Plants
Quick Stats
Design Styles
Include in Your Project
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Use this care guide to maintain your Golden Eye. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.
Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.