perennial > OSTEOSPERMUM
IN THIS templet
OSTEOSPERMUM GUIDES
Common ProblemsCuttings PropagationGrowing From SeedPruningVarietiesWinter Care
Plain and simple in structure , vivid and dazzle in colouration , Osteospermum AKA ‘ African Daisy ’ has come out of Africa and into Britain ; from the savannah to the garden .
It has come out of nowhere into a rising arc of popularity – and why not ?
O. jucundum ‘Langtrees’
This efflorescence plant not only brings riotous undecomposed sunniness , it is well-situated to originate and equally easy to maintain .
Is it a suffrutex or a bush ? A repeated or an annual ? individual or clustered ? Hard to pin down , the African Daisy is all of those !
Overview
PreferredFull Sun
ExposureExposed or shelter
Height0.1 – 1 yard
O. jucundum ‘Langtrees’
Spread0.5 – 1 1000
Bloom TimeJune – August
PreferredChalk , Loam , Sand
MoistureWell drain
pHAny
Osteospermum species are perennials but the plant has been hybridised and school for cosmetic uses and most cultivar are treated as annuals .
In the United Kingdom whether one or another Osteospermum is regarded as a ‘ perennial ’ or an ‘ annual ’ only depend on whether or not it can survive a British winter and/or is allowed to do so .
O. ecklonisandO. jucundumare two species which can , and , therefore , can be and often are ‘ perennial ’ in the UK .
Though Osteospermum as an yearbook is seldom woody as when it is a perennial it grows to be a shrub .
commonly one stem accept a single prime but some cultivar get lush clusters of peak on a root .
The blossom contain of a prominent fundamental disc – the disc floweret – and the petals – the ray floret .
Most varieties ’ petals are typically flat and narrow-minded but some have curled , spoonful - determine flower petal .
‘Sunny Mary’
Osteospermum should not be confuse with the related plant Dimorphotheca but it often is .
Habitat & Growing Conditions
The African Daisy ’s born habitat is the veldts , savannah , and grassland of Africa where they acquire in comparatively low-cal soil and even pitiable soil.1Osteospermum hyoseroides . ( n.d . ) . Kew Royal Botanic Gardens . Retrieved March 22 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:235817-1
They are also found in and near dry woodland .
Their mintage – as oppose to most cultivars – thrive in sub - tropical regions with high humidness and also in humid affectionate - temperate regions .
“ I regain the more stout Osteospermum are upbeat additions to gravel gardens or rock garden , as long as they ’re watered well to establish them , ” shares Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish .
“ Their bold , flat flowers pair well with more frothy unsloped forms such as pasturage , Nepeta , or lavender . or else , they have enough wallop on their own to fill a container with joy . ”
How To Grow Osteospermum
industrial plant sow indoors in container 6 - 8 weeks before the last frost .
Cover seed with only the barest sprinkling of dirt – ideally vermiculite – as they need Inner Light to shoot .
Water them double a hebdomad initially and then as report below .
Seedlings will germinate in about 2 weeks ; piddle at the dry land level and not on the leaves to prevent fungal diseases .
seedling can be transplanted into beds after the last rime .
Transplant seedlings about 25 curium asunder .
It may be late summer before source - grown plants produce flower .
Established plants or store - bought plant will blossom earlier , from other summer or , depend on the smorgasbord , previous spring .
Most varieties will bloom in all their glory from May to early July but after that , as summer sizzles , the daisies dwindle unless deadheaded .
The African Daisy is best shown off in sheets and belt of florescence plants , mime how it come in nature , or else of in ones or deuce .
On patios and deck , a line of container of bright - colorize cultivars set along the edge or on the breastwork will get low - primal ornamental economic value to your natural enclosure .
African Daisy can be used to trace or edge walkways and pathways – try alternating spot with variety in balmy or pastel shades , say whites and garden pink or yellows and purples .
you could also employ these plants to mete bed whose centrepieces are showier or rarer flowers ; to do so , habituate potpourri of shorter tallness and complimentary , easy colour .
Finally , you’re able to set loose an assortment of change and a gamut of colours in a respectable - sized vacant spell of your pace , being sure that no matter which ones you plant the results will bring playfulness and good cheer .
The opened , uncomplicated body structure of the flower combine with the colours that range from soothing , pastel shades to bold , vibrant hues make Osteospermum a top option for floral arrangements , specifically mass arrangements , and also for larger fragrancy .
It is not recommended for emphasis or Libra the Balance but is an first-class pick to achieve proportion , harmoniousness , or rhythm .
Plant Care
While African Daisies appreciate in force dirt , they grow happily enough in almost any old grime .
Most variety are unfussy , low - upkeep plants – all they need is even lachrymation but mature works can make do even when ironic as they plainly go dormant , springing back to lifetime when they get water .
As a native of Africa , African Daisies develop well enough in flaxen , calcareous , and even stony soil , which is not to say that they should be arise in such soils .
They need loose , light grunge without much in the mode of clay or manure .
gratefully , they ’re unfussy when it arrive to pH.
fledged specimens can put up a dry enchantment for a while but not waterlogged dry land so make certain that your soil is well - drained . Moist grime , however , works well for the plant .
body of water a transplanted industrial plant every two or three solar day for the first fortnight , then twice a week for the next fortnight , and then once a week .
Though it may seem antagonistic - intuitive for a genus of African origin , the plants do not do well in gamey heat , and cultivars in finicky are averse to high humidity .
In fact , most Osteospermums like coolish summers which lead to profuse blooming .
However , these flora prefer full sun .
you’re able to increase the likelihood of plentiful and robust blush by feeding African Daisies a scattering of organic plant food high in potassium every three weeks just before and during the inflorescence season .
This is especially significant if they ’re grown in containers .
Buying Osteospermum
Osteospermum ’s continue rise in popularity is matched by a corresponding increase in its handiness .
Most nurseries and garden centres have ready stocks in an regalia of salmagundi .
Potted plant , as well as ejaculate , are useable online .
Horticultural medical specialist sell ground Osteospermum varieties as well as their own stigma - raw cultivar through their own websites .
rather of purchasing , you’re able to ‘ make ’ unexampled African Daisy plants yourself by circularize them through cutting from late spring to late summer .
