For a tough plant that will offer a long period of brightly-colored, large yellow flowers, the Euryops chrysanthemoides or African bush daisy is an excellent choice.
Being a perennial, it will come back year after year, and will survive in places where nothing else will!
History
The African bush daisy has been reclassified by botanists as a result of extensive DNA work on the genus. Formerly, it was known as Gamolepis chrysanthemoides.
Nevertheless, the plant bears many resemblances to the chrysanthemum and remains a member of the aster family.
Plant Facts
| Scientific name | Euryops chrysanthemoides formerly known as Gamolepis chrysanthemoides |
| Common names | African bush daisy, golden daisy, resin bush, bull’s eye |
| Genus | Euryops |
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Height | 0.5 m to 1.5 m (2 to 5 feet) |
| Width | 1 m to 2 m (3 to 6 feet) |
| USDA Plant Hardiness Zone | 8 – 11 |
| Native to | South African |
| Blooming season | Spring to fall (throughout the year in mild climates) |
| Flower colors | yellow |
| Plant specific features | perennial |
How to Plant and Grow African Bush Daisy
Where to Plant
Really, this plant is not fussy at all! You see it growing on roadsides, in coastal locations, and in rocky places, too. It makes a good plant to grow in a container or, if planted out, it will cheer up a barren piece of garden.
It will grow large if left unchecked, so you should consider providing enough space for the plants to grow and spread as they mature.
When to Plant
If you are planting an established bush daisy plant outdoors, then the spring is best. When growing from seeds, start them off indoors in seed trays, two months before the last expected frost for your region.
This will give the seedlings time to grow, hardening them off gently before planting outside.
How to Plant
It’s very easy to plant an African bush daisy. Like all new plants, it is important to provide sufficient care during the first growing season.
African Bush Daisy Care and Maintenance
Soil
Euryops chrysanthemoides will grow in any soil that is well-drained. It will grow in chalk, clay, and in sandy soils.
Water
As with any newly planted perennial or shrub, it is essential to give the bush daisy regular water until it has established a strong root system and is able to absorb moisture easily from the soil.
Thereafter, it is considered a drought-tolerant plant and only needs infrequent watering during prolonged periods of dry, hot weather.
A container-grown plant will have to have more frequent watering as it will have a smaller quantity of growing medium available to its roots.
If the African bush daisy does dry out, you may notice that there are fewer or smaller flowers on the plant.
Fertilizer
Providing an annual application of a general-purpose fertilizer in the spring will benefit the plant at the time it is starting to produce new growth.
Sunlight
The African bush daisy is a shrub that is native to warm, sunny climates. It is no surprise therefore that it will do best when it is planted in full sun. It will tolerate a partially sunny position, but the more sunlight it receives, the better the flower production will be.
If you are growing this plant as a perennial, then it will flower all season until the temperatures fall.
If you are growing the plant inside, it is most important that you find a bright spot to place the pot. A sunny windowsill in a well-lit room is ideal.
Pruning
Pruning is the main challenge when growing Euryops chrysanthemoides.
It doesn’t need dead-heading to continue to flower. However, it is a vigorous plant and can become untidy.
By pruning annually, you can retain an attractive rounded shape and even shape it if required. But this isn’t in any way necessary to have a healthy plant!
If there has been a late cold snap, remove any stems that have died. This will encourage new shoots to form and give the new growth space to spread.
Pests and disease
Few pests will trouble the African bush daisy. The bright yellow flowers will attract bees and other pollinators to your garden.
Temperature and Humidity
This plant will tolerate cold temperatures and even a little frost. However, it will die back and then re-sprout in the spring. At this stage, you can cut off any stems that died during the winter.
To reduce the winter damage, apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant. This will protect the roots of the African bush daisy.
Propagation
In its natural state, this plant is self-propagating. It produces many seeds, which are carried through the air and dispersed by the wind.
When grown for ornamental purposes, the shrub will often re-seed itself and the plants will multiply.
However, if you are growing one of the hybrid African bush daisy varieties, there is a strong likelihood that plants raised from the seeds of these plants will revert to one of the parent species. A plant raised from the seed of a hybrid will not share the qualities of the hybrid plant.
Propagation of hybrid plants should be carried out either by taking stem cuttings in the spring or by division of the adult plant in the autumn. This will ensure that the new plant is the same as the parent plant.
If you dip the cuttings in hormone rooting powder before planting, this will aid and speed up the time needed for the cuttings to establish themselves.
Generally, it will take about a month for the new cuttings to have sufficient roots to grow independently.
It is equally possible to purchase seeds of the hybrid varieties. Approximately two months before the last expected frost, you can sow the seeds in seed trays. Use an appropriate potting compost and plant the seeds a little deeper than the size of the seed.
Once germinated (after around three weeks) you can plant the seedlings either direct in the garden soil or in pots.
Using the Flowers
E. chrysanthemoides flowers are often used in floral arrangements. Their bright color, and long stems make them a popular choice for florists.
They are an ideal choice for many types of gardens, whether grown out in a mixed border or grown in a container and placed on the patio.
Other Uses for Euryops chrysanthemoides
E. chrysanthemoides is a plant that produces resin, sometimes visible on the surface of the plant’s stems. It used to be thought to contain health properties, but this is not substantiated.
In parts of South Africa (from where this plant originates), the resin from the African bush daisy was used as a leather protector and preserver for riding boots and saddles.
The African bush daisy attracts bees, butterflies, and nectar-seeking insects.
Types of African Bush Daisies You Can Grow
The Bush daisy is a large genus with many species. Most of the available species are native to South Africa.
Despite the prolific numbers of available species, there are several varieties commonly grown. These include the newer hybrids and the dwarf varieties that offer the same levels of floral display but on a compact plant.
Euryops pectinatus is a semi-hardy and fast-growing perennial shrub, native to South Africa. Munchkin is a dwarf variety that is also very popular.
It flowers profusely, and in warm temperatures, will flower all year long. The flowers grow on long stems which have silvery-green foliage.
Conclusion
If you like easy-to-care-for, hardy perennials with brightly colored daisy-type flowers, then this is a plant for you.
*image by munich1/depositphotos
