Smallhead Doll's Daisy

Boltonia diffusa

native · Central Texas

Smallhead Doll's Daisy is a perennial wildflower native to Central Texas that grows 0.5–1 ft tall and 1 ft wide. It wants full sun or part shade and medium water, and handles clay soil. Blooms purple, white and yellow in summer and fall. Good for bees, butterflies and nectar insects.

Wet ground only. Usually found in wetlands and creek bottoms. It wants reliably moist ground and struggles in a dry upland bed.

Will it grow in your yard?

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The facts

4 sources

Type: Perennial wildflower
Sun: Full sun to part shade (4–8 hrs of direct sun)
Water: Medium
Height: 0.5–1 ft
Spread: 1 ft
Bloom: Summer, Fall · purple, white, yellow
Foliage: Deciduous or dies back in winter
Soil: Takes clay · recorded on clay, loam, moist, well drained
Wildlife: Supports bees, butterflies and nectar insects

Where it grows

Recorded in these EPA Level IV ecoregions in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:

Northern Blackland PrairieSouthern Post Oak SavannaFloodplains and Low TerracesSan Antonio Prairie

27 occurrence records in Central Texas (GBIF).

Can you buy it?

Also grows here — hard to find. Native and recorded growing in Central Texas, but not on the grower stock lists we read. Sourcing varies: some are stocked widely, others you will have to hunt for.