African Daisy (Osteospermum) care

The native South African Daisy is a really tough plant, and we can enjoy its blooming from May till October, in the case that we respect its needs. The African daisies are more and more popular int the gardens, a lot of people like their nice coloured flowers which are similar to marguerite. Those who like the marguerite, also will adore the African daisy. They have a main role in expanding spring flower supply. They are annual, perennial or evergreen dwarf shrubs, just partially resistant to winter.

Perennial varieties belong to the family of Osteospermum, there are frost tolerant and evergreen varieties among them, but there are some which have to be on frost-free places in winter. The family-member species mostly have lance-shaped leaves, the flowers are beam-shaped nest flowers.

The colour of flowers has the variety from white and pink to purple red. As we can these colours put just on very particular places, it is not recommended to mix them with red, purple or blue, it results very strange colour effects. Purple red variations are the most decorative in the company of white lobelia, white alyssum, or perhaps white geranium.

White varieties can be transposed next to red geraniums or blue lobelia, the pink ones also with white flowered or with other pink shaded plants. It often bring flowers in so big crowds, that the flowers covers the whole plant. Its height is maximum 25-40 cm.

Requirements and care:

Light requirements:

African daisy likes sunny places the best, that's why should be protected from the shadow. It is a recommended balcony plant, as it also loves the blazing sun.

Heat requirements:

It can tolerate extreme changes of weather, but species which can not tolerate frost should be moved in and leave on a frost-free place for the winter.

Watering requirements:

It has medium watering requirements, it is recommended to shelter from the rain as it doesn't like too much water.
But if you planted it into a case or a pot, don't let the soil dry out, because it will turn into "sleep mode" in order to survive from drought period, interrupts the flowering which will not be easy to begin again.

Further care:

African daisy likes porous soil of medium rich nutrients. Take care of not to leave flowered sprouts on the plant too long. Its flowering can be extended by removing the overblown sprouts. Its flowers live long in a vase as well.
It is recommended to take care of its nutrient supply.

Propagation:

Perennial varieties can be propagated with half wooden sprout cuttings, picked up in the middle of summer. Non-perennial varieties can be propagated by sowing the seeds. We can sow it on its permanent place in April, in 20 cm distances.

Hatched plants should be thinned in a 15 cm distance from the base. Although it does not require too much water, after seed sowing and thinning the plants should be watered regularly. Later, even in longer and drier periods, it will need moderate watering.

Most common diseases, pests of the African Daisy, main reasons of their destruction:

In wet summers, it must be defended from gray mold, it is sensitive to that.

It can be destroyed in moist soil with stagnant water.

Sources:
http://www.femina.hu/
http://www.viragszerviz.hu/
http://www.gazlap.hu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/