Baileya multiradiata is a unique North American species with a love for the sun. Also referred to as the Desert Marigold, this charming wildflower is a native of the arid landscapes in northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. From Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, and Aguascalientes to California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas, this gem brightens the deserts with its effulgence. Despite its moniker, it's a distant cousin to the real marigolds (Tagetes spp.).
Baileya multiradiata is a short-lived perennial to annual that creates a mesmerizing clump of silvery-green foliage. This formation dances into the sky with many tall, naked stems - each remarkably crowned with a brilliant yellow daisy-like flower head.
Desert Marigold is of interest in the medical field due to its production of radiatin and baileyolin, chemicals that inhibit tumor formation.