African Daisy - A Plant of the Daisy Family
Published · Flower Resource
African daisy is of Asteraceae Family and its scientific name is Arctotis Hybrida or Osteospermum. Commonly they are known as Hybrid Arctotis and are an annual flower. They look a lot like common daisies but their petals radiate around center disk. They are available in different color combinations like lavender, white, pink, yellow and bi-color. African daisies are native to North America and South Africa. They have dark centers and bright pointed petals which make them perfect flowers for your garden or backyard to make it bloom.
African daisy is referred to as Goddess of the Sun because it reflects the burning color and beauty of sun. It symbolizes childbirth, strength, new beginnings, and cheerfulness because of its bright yellow look.
Uses of African Daisy
- They can be grown as ground cover for larger areas, borders, tubs, pots, parking strips and naturalized areas.
- Provides vivid backdrop for décor of different occasions like wedding, engagement and baby shower.
- They are heat tolerant, so you can also use as houseplants in summer season.
- They are widely used as cut flowers and in form of bouquets to greet your loved ones in important occasions and festivals.
Interesting Facts
- They are so colorful that it is often thought they are colored with metallic paint in centre.
- These flowers are one to one and half inches wide and get closed at night, in the cloud cover and in shade.
- It produces a fruit with abundant seeds.
- These flowers blooms during April to August and starts to germination in 10 to 30 days and blooms best in following seasons mid-summer, late summer and early fall.
- The variety of African daisies is Flower Power Spider White, Lemon Symphony, and Sideshow Copper Apricot etc.
Soil Needed
- African daisies require light dry soil and full sun.
- Soil type should be acidic with Ph 5 to 5.5.
- They can be sown in spring season after frost.
- Sow the seeds four inches apart in the soil and add fertilizer once a month.
- Their foliage texture is medium and silvery green with wavy lobed margins.
How to Plant?
- Get the seeds from market or save the seeds if you are not concerned about what color the plant grows.
- Sprinkle the seeds on the top layer of soil and press it tightly so they make a firm contact with the soil.
- It also requires light to germinate.
- You can reproduce this plant by cuttings.
- They grow well in outdoor containers in garden and backyards it prefers cool nights.
- Also they self seed in warm climates and they are non invasive.
- Easy to grow.
Maintenance and Care
- The African daisy does not need insecticides or fungicides.
- You have to water the plant well till the soil is completely moist.
- Mulching is done three inches below organic compost.
- Keep the plants well watered in periods of drought and extreme heat.
- To prevent the plant from fungus infections, remove regularly old and spent leaves.