Reviewed By PETER LICKORISH
Peter is a Horticulture Lecturer and self-employed Horticulturist, with a passion for diverse areas of the industry - from garden design to the science behind plant growth and propagation. He has completed the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture (MHort) Award and lectures on RHS courses at Bedford College.
IN THIS GUIDE
Plain and simple in structure, vivid and dazzling in colour, 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?
This flowering plant not only brings riotous good cheer, it is easy to grow and equally easy to maintain.
Is it a subshrub or a shrub? A perennial or an annual? Single or clustered? Hard to pin down, the African Daisy is all of those!
Overview
| Botanical Name | Osteospermum |
| Common Name(s) | African Daisies |
| Plant Type | Perennial Flower / Annual Flower |
| Native Area | South Africa |
| Hardiness Rating | H3 |
| Foliage | Toothed, hairy leaves |
| Flowers | Daisy-like central disks with flat and narrow petals |
| When To Sow | May, June |
| Flowering Months | June, July, August |
| When To Prune | March, April, August, September |
Sunlight
Preferred
Full Sun
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Size
Height
0.1 – 1M
Spread
0.5 – 1M
Bloom Time
June – August
Soil
Preferred
Chalk, Loam, Sand
Moisture
Well Drained
pH
Any
Osteospermum species are perennials but the plant has been hybridised and cultivated for ornamental uses and most cultivars are treated as annuals.
In the United Kingdom whether one or another Osteospermum is regarded as a ‘perennial’ or an ‘annual’ simply depends on whether or not it can survive a British winter and/or is allowed to do so.
O. ecklonis and O. jucundum are two species which can, and, therefore, can be and often are ‘perennials’ in the UK.
Though Osteospermum as an annual is rarely woody as when it is a perennial it grows to be a shrub.
Usually one stalk bears a single flower but some cultivars produce lush clusters of flowers on a stem.
The flowers comprise of a prominent central disk – the disk floret – and the petals – the ray floret.
Most varieties’ petals are typically flat and narrow but some have curled, spoon-shaped petals.
Osteospermum should not be confused with the related plant Dimorphotheca but it often is.
Habitat & Growing Conditions
The African Daisy’s natural habitat is the veldts, savannahs, and grasslands of Africa where they grow in relatively light soil and even poor soil.1Osteospermum hyoseroides. (n.d.). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:235817-1
They are also found in and near dry forests.
Their species – as opposed to most cultivars – thrive in sub-tropical regions with high humidity and also in humid warm-temperate regions.
“I find the more hardy Osteospermum are cheerful additions to gravel gardens or rockeries, as long as they’re watered well to establish them,” shares Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish.
“Their bold, flat flowers pair well with more frothy upright forms such as grasses, Nepeta, or lavender. Alternatively, they have enough impact on their own to fill a container with joy.”
How To Grow Osteospermum
Plant seeds indoors in containers 6-8 weeks before the last frost.
Cover seeds with only the barest sprinkling of soil – ideally vermiculite – as they need light to germinate.
Water them twice a week initially and then as described below.
Seedlings will sprout in about 2 weeks; water at the ground level and not on the leaves to prevent fungal diseases.
Transplanting
Seedlings can be transplanted into beds after the last frost.
Transplant seedlings about 25cm apart.
It may be late summer before seed-grown plants produce flowers.
Established plants or store-bought plants will bloom earlier, from early summer or, depending on the variety, late 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.
Where To Plant
The African Daisy is best shown off in sheets and swaths of flowering plants, mimicking how it occurs in nature, instead of in ones or twos.
On patios and decks, a line of containers of bright-coloured cultivars set along the edge or on the parapet will bring low-key ornamental value to your enclosure.
African Daisy can be used to line or edge walkways and pathways – try alternating patches with varieties in soft or pastel shades, say whites and pinks or yellows and purples.
You can also use these plants to border beds whose centrepieces are showier or rarer flowers; to do so, use varieties of shorter height and complimentary, gentle colours.
Finally, you can set loose an assortment of varieties and a gamut of colours in a good-sized vacant patch of your yard, being sure that no matter which ones you plant the results will bring merriment and good cheer.
The open, uncomplicated structure of the flower combined with the colours that range from soothing, pastel shades to bold, vibrant hues make Osteospermum a top choice for floral arrangements, specifically mass arrangements, and also for larger bouquets.
It is not recommended for emphasis or balance but is an excellent pick to achieve proportion, harmony, or rhythm.
Plant Care
Soil Requirements
While African Daisies appreciate good soil, they grow happily enough in almost any old soil.
Most varieties are unfussy, low-maintenance plants – all they need is regular watering but mature plants can make do even when dry as they simply go dormant, springing back to life when they get water.
As a native of Africa, African Daisies grow well enough in sandy, chalky, and even stony soils, which is not to say that they should be grown in such soils.
They need loose, light soils without much in the way of clay or manure.
Thankfully, they’re unfussy when it comes to pH.
Watering
Mature specimens can tolerate a dry spell for a while but not waterlogged ground so make certain that your soil is well-drained. Moist soil, however, works well for the plant.
Water a transplanted plant every two or three days for the first fortnight, then twice a week for the next fortnight, and then once a week.
Sunlight & Temperature
Though it may seem counter-intuitive for a genus of African origin, the plants do not do well in high heat, and cultivars in particular are averse to high humidity.
In fact, most Osteospermums like coolish summers which lead to profuse blooming.
However, these plants prefer full sun.
Feeding
You can increase the likelihood of plentiful and robust blooms by feeding African Daisies a sprinkling of organic fertiliser high in potassium every three weeks just before and during the flowering season.
This is especially important if they’re grown in containers.
Buying Osteospermum
Osteospermum’s continuing rise in popularity is matched by a corresponding increase in its availability.
Most nurseries and garden centres have ready stocks in an array of varieties.
Potted plants, as well as seeds, are available online.
Horticultural specialists sell established Osteospermum varieties as well as their own brand-new cultivars through their own websites.
Instead of buying, you can ‘make’ new African Daisy plants yourself by propagating them through cuttings from late spring to late summer.
FAQs
Are Osteospermums Hardy Plants?
In general, Osteospermum plants are half-hardy, that is they can survive one or two touches of frost but not repeated frosts.
More specifically, hardiness depends on the particular species or cultivar.
For example, O. ‘Silver Sparkler’ is not even half-hardy whereas O. jucundum is actually hardy in mild areas of the UK.
Varieties with spoon-shaped petals indicate a tender or, at best, a half-hardy variety.
Is Osteospermum Perennial Or Annual?
Either and both – it depends on the particular Osteospermum and the climate.
The species grow in their natural habitats as perennials while the cultivars are grown as annuals.
However, in warm climates that do not undergo a frost, cultivars can continue as perennials while in cold climates species are grown as annuals.
How Big Does Osteospermum Get?
The most common height for Osteospermum varieties is between 30-40cm with an average of about 36cm.
A few species such as O. ecklonis can hit a height of 1m.
