Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Common Tidy Tips (Layia platyglossa) is an annual wildflower in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family. Like other members of this family, it has composite flower heads. Its 5 to 18 outer ray flowers are bright golden yellow with distinct, sharp-margined white tips. The inner disk flowers are numerous and yellow-orange. The entire flower head is 2 inches in diameter.


It is native to California's low-elevation dry habitats in the Coast Ranges, Central Valley, Channel Islands, and southern coastal plain where it is a member of spring wildflower displays in meadows and grasslands. It is found in many different habitats.


Its daisy-like flowers are attractive, making it a popular garden ornamental and ingredient in commercial wildflower seed mixes. It is especially attractive when massed and combined with other wildflowers. It seems to like somewhat more water than some other wildflowers but works well with many other plants.

Plant type

Annual herb

Size

6 - 24 in Tall
6 - 24 in Wide

Calscape icon
Color

Yellow

Flowering season

Spring, Winter

Special uses

Containers

Sun

Full Sun

Water

Low

Summer irrigation

Max 3x / month once established

Ease of care

Moderate

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to -5° F

Soil drainage

Fast, Medium, Slow

Soil description

Prefers clay or loamy soil, tolerates sandy soil.
Soil PH: 5.0 - 8.0

Propagation

By seed

Sunset Zones

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7*, 8*, 9*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24

Site type

Meadows

Plant communities

Chaparral, Foothill Woodland, Northern Coastal Scrub, Valley Grassland, Yellow Pine Forest

Use in a grassland or meadow-like garden with other annuals or herbaceous perennials such as California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Clarkia spp., Lupinus spp., Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii) and Sidalcea spp.; with geophytes such as Brodiaea spp., Mariposa Lily (Calochortus spp.), and Blue Dicks (Dipterostemon capitatus); and with succulents such as Dudleya spp. and various cactus species.

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 1 likely

Confirmed Likely

Small Heliothodes Moth

Heliothodes diminutivus