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Chocolate Flower Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae

Chocolate Flower

Berlandiera lyrata

Sweet delight.

Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Berlandiera
Native to
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Bloom season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Type
perennial herb
Height
1-2 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
rocky, well-drained, alkaline soil
Water
low
Hardiness
4-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The flowers emit a rich chocolate scent, especially in the morning, which intensifies when the spent ray florets are removed.
  • The genus is named after Jean-Louis Berlandier, a French-Swiss botanist who explored Texas and Mexico in the 1820s.
  • Chocolate flower is extremely drought-tolerant and thrives in the limestone soils of the Texas Hill Country.
  • The dried seed heads have a green, cocoa-like fragrance and are sometimes used in potpourri.
  • Despite smelling like chocolate, the plant is not related to cacao and has no culinary use as a chocolate substitute.

Color meanings

0

indulgence

1

hidden pleasures

Uses

  • xeriscape garden
  • sensory garden for fragrance