Madia elegans

Madia elegans- (Oil Plant, Tarweed) Madia is a dwarf hardy annual flowering plant which grows wild in North America and belongs to the Daisy family, Compositae. The plants reach about 12 inches tall, are well-branched and have narrow leaves and yellow daisy-like blooms about 1 inch in diameter with a maroon ring at the base. Called Tarweed or Oil plant, the foliage is sticky. Blooms close in the daytime and open at night and early morning, when they emit a sweet fragrance that resembles tropical fruit. The blooms appear all summer.

The plants prefer a lightly shaded location and make lovely border, patio or container plants. The seeds are eaten raw or cooked and were a staple food of some Native American tribes. The seeds are also ground into a powder and eaten as a cereal alone or mixed with other cereal grains, or used to make pinole.

Propagation can be accomplished either by dividing existing plants in the spring or by seed. Seed are best sown directly in finely prepared garden soil in early spring. Sow thinly. Keep moist until germination. When the seedlings are 2 inches tall, thin them to space 6 inches apart each way.