The Cape Daisy is beautiful and easy to grow, offering stunning blooming colors from spring to fall. The Cape Daisy is also known as the African Daisy and has many varieties and colors and does well in containers and garden beds.
Keep reading to learn all there is about the wonderful Cape daisy.
History of the Cape Daisy
Not much is known about when the Cape Daisy was discovered, but during the 19th century, the Cape daisy was introduced to the Americas and Europe and gained exponential popularity.
We know that Cape Daisy originated in the dry stony soils of South Africa. This is because of the perfect soil and climate conditions.
The genus Osteospermum is native to South Africa, and there are hundreds of species under this genus such as the Cape Daisy. 30 years ago, the Cape Daisy wasn’t a common name, and now, it is one of the most popular summer flower bed plants. There are still new species being discovered today.
Characteristics of the Cape Daisy
The Cape Daisy is a low-growing green shrub with daisy-like flowers of various colors. The unusual patterns of petals are what make these daisies so unique.
The foliage is a velvety silver-green that is soft to the touch, and the petals can be shades of yellow, orange, white, and pink. The center is rigid and is a dark bronze to black and beams out amongst the petals.
They grow anywhere from twelve to eighteen inches tall and bloom in early spring to late fall or the first frost adding the perfect exotic flowers to your flower garden.
Annuals or Perennials?
Technically, both. It depends on what the climate is where you live. Cape Daisies are considered a tender perennial, which means they grow as a perennial as long as the climate is warm enough to avoid a frost.
If you reside in an area where it snows and has a chance of frost, your daisies probably won’t come back the following year. But you can always replant the next season again to enjoy the cape daisies for another season.
Growing the Cape Daisy
You can grow the Cape Daisy in USDA hardiness zones three to ten.
Growing From Seeds
Growing the Cape Daisies from seeds is a simple and fun experience. There is no way to tell the blooms’ color from the seeds. It is a surprise each time.
The best way to grow your seeds is using a seed starter kit, or an egg carton works as well. Use a seed starter potting soil and sow the seeds very close to the surface-about only 1/16 inch.
Water thoroughly with a spray bottle, making sure not to sink the seeds too deep into the soil. Place next to a sunny interior window or under a grow light. Check the moisture levels daily and water when needed.
After your seedlings have reached a few inches tall, you can transplant them into containers or flower beds in sunny areas. The Cape Daisy needs full sun for their blooms to open, so at minimum 6 hours of direct light per day.
To keep your daisies thriving, maintain moist soil and deadhead any spent blooms to increase flower production.
Why you Should Grow the Cape Daisy at Home
Now that you know how to grow the Cape Daisy, you may be thinking, why should I grow them? Cape Daisies add a whimsical, colorful aspect to any landscaping, and once planted, they need minimal care. These flowers are pretty unique and new to the flower garden scene. They are also effortless to care for and offer stunning blooms all season long.
Easy Care and Maintenance
Once you have your Cape Daisies planted, whether, in a flower bed or container, there really are only two steps to caring for these flowers.
Water your daisies once a day in warm and dry climates and only water when needed in mild and more wet climates. The Cape Daisies can thrive as long as the soil maintains some moisture.
Pruning the Cape Daisies is as simple as deadheading the spent blooms and cutting back any leggy foliage. This promotes healthy new blooms to grow all season long.
Where to buy the Cape Daisy
Seeds
Many online retailers offer seeds for purchase when looking for the Cape Daisy seeds. Online stores such as Swallowtail Garden Seeds, American Meadows, and even Amazon offer some options for Cape Daisy seeds.
Plants
If you would rather skip the seeds and head right over to the plants, many big box home stores with a garden center carry either the Cape Daisy specifically or sell a type of African Daisy.
Making Bouquets and Decor
It is good to know these flowers make wonderful bouquets when planting the Cape Daisies around your home.
Daisies are one of the most popular flowers that florists around the country use. It is no wonder, too, daisies symbolize joy and innocence. Making it the perfect gift to give to any close friend or family member.
Daisies are extremely popular when used in floral centerpieces for spring get together, bridal showers, and baby showers.
Most daisies stay fresh when cut and placed in a vase of water for up to two weeks. Making for an inexpensive flower to keep in your home to bring the outdoors in.
Wrapping up the Cape Daisy
The Cape Daisy is an excellent way to add easy yet beautiful color to your home’s landscaping. These flowers are simple to plant and easy to care for and maintain, which is a big win for any busy modern gardener.
If you have trouble finding the Cape Daisy plants at your local flower nurseries, you can always purchase the seeds from an online retailer. Growing the Cape Daisy from seeds is extremely simple and a joy to watch bloom.
Whatever way you would like to enjoy your flowers, the Cape Daisies are the perfect addition to your flower bed, planters, and gardens.
Excited for more daisy content? Then visit my daisy page for growing tips, comprehensive care guides, and more!