Hardiness zones
Sunset 4-24
USDA 4-11

Landscape Use: Mixed flower garden, border, accent, mesic gardens themes in arid and semi-arid climates.

Form & Character: Herbaceous perennial, bright, festive, airy

Growth Habit: Slow to moderate, basal clumping when vegetative sending flower stalks to 2' tall.

Foliage/Texture: Basally clumping, glacous, pinntified to 5" long; medium fine texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Brilliant yellow flowers petals characteristic of the daisy family, flowers about 2" in diameter. Undersides of flower petals are streaked with chocolate brown 'lines'; fruit structures consist of hardened, brown sepals serving up fruit like plates of food, ornamental also.

Seasonal Color: Flowering in April in Phoenix. Sone sources declare the chocolate flower as a night bloomer, but this is not the case in Phoenix.

Temperature: Tolerant of all but highest summer heat, will freeze to ground in coldest climates.

Light: Partial shade to full sun, no intense western exposures.

Soil: Tolerant of some alkalinity.

Watering: Infrequent but regular water in Phoenix.

Pruning: None, except to rarely spent fruiting stalks.

Propagation: Seed

Disease and pests: None

Additional comments: Chocolate flower really does have flowers that intensely smell like chocolate. This aromatic herb is a great addition to many informal garden situations. Fruit pods are used in dry flower arrangements.