African daisy is a genus of at least 60 annual or perennial flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) native to dry stony slopes of southern Africa. The plants grow 1 to 2 feet tall in a mounding or spreading habit. They prefer full sun in well-drained sandy or rocky soils. They are drought-tolerant once established. They are also deer and rabbit-resistant and salt-air-tolerant. The 3-inch wide flowers appear all summer and consist of colorful rays surrounding the darker center of disc flowers and tend to close in the evening or on cloudy days.. They come in a variety of colors with many hybrids available. The attractive leaves are finely cut or lobed and with soft hairs. Use African daisies in the border of a pollinator garden or cutting garden. They can also be used in rock gardens, fairy gardens and containers. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for aphids, spiderr mites and leaf miners. Potential diseases are powdery mildew and leaf spot. Root rot can occur in too wet conditions or poorly drained soils.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Spatulate
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf feel
Velvety
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Rosulate eaves vary per species and can be finely-cut, lobed or spoon-shaped. They are often silvery or gray-green due to the velvety hairs. They ar 2 to 8 inches long and 2/3 to 1 3/4 inches wide
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Pink; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Head; Solitary
Flower shape
Radial
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
This flower often has contrasting colors at the petal bases around the center. Colors of the flowers can be bronze, pink, orange, red, white, or yellow.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
winged ovoid to oblong capsules with 2 cavities
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Stems can be branched or not. Some are hairy and others leafy. Varies per species.