African daisy (Arctotisspp.)
is a tough annual native to South Africa.
These plants have silvery gray foliage that perfectly sets off their colorful flowers.
Bill Holt.
The blooms can last a long time in mild climates.
The plants are hardy in Zones 9-11.
Where to Plant African Daisy
African daisieswork well in containersand borders.
Credit: Denny Schrock
They prefer full sun and well-drained soil.
When deciding where to plant African daisy, remember its flowers close up at night.
Blooms sometimes don’t fully open when it’s overcast or during bad weather.
Credit: Justin Hancock
How and When to Plant African Daisy
Plant in spring after the last winter frost.
Dig a hole as deep as your plant’s nursery container.
Remove the plant from the pot and loosen the soil around the roots.
Credit: David Speer
Place in the hole and backfill with soil, tamp lightly and water well.
They usually bloom within 2 months of being planted.
This, however, doesn’t mean that they like to stay too hot and dry.
Credit: Denny Schrock
In fact, their preferred climate is typically very mild.
Soil and Water
African daisies are fairly drought-tolerant.
For best growth, though, they need 1 inch of water per week from rainfall or irrigation.
Credit: Julie Maris Semarco
Maintain consistently moist soil that’swell-drainedand somewhat acidic with 5 or 5.5 pH.
Addcompost to the soilbefore planting.
Be careful not to overwater since soggy soil often leads to root rot.
If it gets hot or dry, African daisies can stop growing.
Additional water should solve the problem.
Once things start to cool back down, they resume blooming andcontinue until frost.
If you’re planning on using African daisies in your garden, treat them as a cool season bloom.
Fertilizer
Keep African daisies well-fed with a monthly app ofbalanced fertilizer, following manufacturer’s instructions.
Potted plants may require more frequent feeding.
Pruning
To keep African daisies blooming all season, removeany old, spent blossomsfrom the plants.
This will help encourage new growth and keep plants producing flowers longer.
If plants become leggy, cut them back.
Potting and Repotting African Daisy
Plant African daisies in a pot with good drainage holes.
A well-draining potting mix is a must.
Plan on watering more frequently than plants in the garden.
Place African daisies in a spot where they’ll get full sun.
Potted African daisies may need fertilizing more frequently since nutrients can leak out with water.
Since African daisies are usually grown as annuals they won’t need to be repotted.
Pests and Problems
African daisies have few problems beyond the usualgarden pests.
Their sensitivity to heat is something to pay attention to as the summer gets warmer.
However, the plants are easy to propagate from cuttings.
Select nonflowering stems or pinch off the flower buds.
Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting and dip the end into rooting hormone.
Insert the cutting into a flat filled withseed-starting mix.
Rooting should take place within four to six weeks.
Transplant the seedlings to individual pots filled with potting mix.
After the last spring frost, plant them outdoors.
Count on it to produce hundreds of blooms throughout the season.
It grows 14 inches tall and 10 inches wide.
It grows 12 inches tall and 16 inches wide.
Companion Plants for African Daisy
This annual is a low-maintenance yet high-impact addition to your garden.
Choose companion plants that exhibit bright colors in a contrasting flower form to complete the landscape.
It will bloom all summer long in hot, sunny spots.
Zones 9-10
Pink Dianthus
Pink dianthus has grasslike blue-green foliage andabundant starry flowers, often spicily fragrant.
Plants range from tiny creeping groundcovers to 30-inch-tall cut flowers, which are a favorite with florists.
Zones 3-10
Stock
Stock offers a spicy, distinctive scent.
It grows best in full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil.
Determine which is causing the problem and then add sun, water, or theright fertilizerto fix.
Unfortunately, African daisies don’t overwinter well.
Keep them in a place with bright light, and only water when they’re dry.
African daisy flowers come in white, cream, pink, purple, mauve, or yellow.
