Chrysactinia mexicana

( kryss - sac -  TIN - ee - uh      mex - ih - CAN - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

This evergreen shrub, also called Damianita or Damianita Daisy, is native to the Chihuahuan desert, and reaches 2 feet tall and just as wide. Needle-like green leaves are strongly aromatic and the shrub produces yellow, 1 inch daisies that bloom over a long season. Blooms peak in spring and fall, easing off in high-heat temperatures. These shrubs grow best in zones 10-13 and 18-24 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map). The species belongs to the genus Chrysactinia, which is in the family Asteraceae. Use Damianita in beds and borders, or as a low-maintenance groundcover for slopes and hillsides.

Caring for and pruning chrysactinia mexicana shrubs

Plant in full sun in early autumn. Damianita can take partial shade, but may become a bit leggy over time. Hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, these shrubs also tolerate a wide array of soils, though they do best with the great drainage provided by sandier soils. Supplemental water in summertime can encourage more blooms to pop. Shear annually in the early springtime, and cut back severely if the plant becomes too woody. During the blooming season, deadhead as needed to neaten appearance. Otherwise, these are low-maintenance shrubs that add carpets of yellow to gardens in spring and fall. They are drought tolerant, needing little water other than in the warmest months of the summer to encourage more blooms to form. These shrubs thrive in poor soils and do not need fertilizing.

Propagation

Chrysactinia mexicana can be propagated either by using cuttings, by division, or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting or division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant, especially if you are growing a hybrid variety. To propagate your Damianita, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Chrysactinia mexicana by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming softwood stem and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about six to eight weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth on your propagated shrub, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Chrysactinia mexicana by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost, and pots (12 inch pots will do, and these are only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in spring or fall (after the plant has entered dormancy and been cut to the ground, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every four to five years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:
  1. Dawn your protective gear and gather your materials. Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the tuber roots. Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
  2. Start to tease apart the roots with your gloved fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick tuberous section.
  3. Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your divided tubers about an inch under the soil surface and water thoroughly. 
  4. Apply a thick layer of mulch or compost over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout.

Propagating Chrysactinia mexicana by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the Damianita plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows. 
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seeds on Damianita plants are pretty easy to spot, they're black and are left behind after flowers have faded. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. Use them as quickly as possible, as germination rates fall precipitously with older seeds. If seeds are older than two years, they can be discarded.
  3. In springtime, water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

​A flower head after blooms fade. The seeds are spread via wind and animal activity, and are black. They are ready to be harvested for propagation once they look like they do in this photograph.

Problems and Pests

Damianita is considered pest and disease-free.

Gallery

Damianita creates carpets of bright yellow blooms.
Plant these shrubs in well-draining soil for best performance.
Chrysactinia mexicana, at home amongst other low-water plantings.

Videos

​A short video about Chrysactinia mexicana.

Resources

Damianita Daisy: Plant Care and Growing Guide
Chrysactinia mexicana (Damianita)
Wikipedia: Chysactinia mexicana
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 242, Chorizema
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