Elegant Tarweed (Madia elegans) is native to the western United States and parts of Mexico. It can be found in a variety of habitats, including dry open areas, grasslands, and chaparral ecosystems. This species is well-adapted to regions characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The slender, upright stems and attractive narrow leaves have a silvery or grayish-green appearance, and the abundant flowers are particularly striking, with bright yellow petals surrounding a central disc.
 
Elegant Tarweed typically blooms from mid-summer to early fall. During this time, the golden-yellow flowers appear in clusters atop the stems, attracting a variety of pollinators. The bloom season coincides with the active period of many insects, including bees, butterflies, syrphid flies, and beetles, which visit the flowers to feed on nectar and collect pollen. Additionally, the seeds of this species are consumed by birds and small mammals, providing a valuable food source.
 
In addition to its vibrant flowers, Elegant Tarweed is an exquisitely aromatic plant during bloom. It is not the flowers however, but sticky resins exuded by the leaves and stems that are the source. The unique fragrance might best be described as a mix of sage and fresh blueberries, at the same time both savory and sweet in nature. In fact, here at the nursery it gets used as deodorant all summer long!
 
Elegant Tarweed is well-adapted to disturbance, fire, and a range of soil types, including sandy or rocky soils, as well as well-drained loamy soils. Seeds of this species can be sown directly onto the soil surface in the fall or early spring. Sowing seeds in place during the fall and overwintering the seedlings may produce larger plants the following spring.