Plant of the week: Berlandiera lyrata

I'd like to think I can always spot a great plant.   But sometimes they have to land in my lap. This was the case with Berlandiera lyrata. To look at it, it's not that different from so many yellow daisies. And too be honest it is kinda floppy. But thanks to my friend Suzanne,  a sad plant came into my possession.  Tortured further in a pot with overly rich potting soil, everything changed when I committed to planting it in the ground. Then it flourished.

So here's why you want to plant this guy, two reasons (maybe more).  One, the flower smells like chocolate (they call it the chocolate flower).  No, I mean really smells like cocoa, baking cocoa, one problem though is it seems to smell best in the morning or when it's overcast (but definitely not all the time).  Two, the plant is pretty tough and heat tolerant, being native to Texas and Mexico etc. Three, it doesn't seem to attract many pests.  Four, it bloomed for months and months last year and it's doing it again. Ok that was more than two.  Ok one more for good measure, and this is true for most yellow daisies, but these cheery yellow flowers always make me smile.

Gawd!  Why doesn't blogger make a scratch and sniff blog?!