Dimorphotheca Species, African Daisy, Cape Marigold, Namaqualand Daisy, Sun Marigold

If I have the right plant, African Daisies grow like weeds here. (I'm in a subtropical climate). They flower all year round and can reac...Read Moreh a height of 2 metres. When the flowers die off, the seeds can be gathered. If they're not gathered, they fall close to the parent plant and it isn't long before seedlings are popping up. They don't mind being trimmed back and can be used as a hedge.

Try to get seed of the genuine wild species of this plant (Silverhills, or BT World). They were the most amazing annuals I've ever grow...Read Moren -- but it was a very good summer. I sowed the seed under cover in March, and planted them in May. They start to flower when very small and will grow fast.

These wild ones looked exactly like EggsZactly's and Xenomorph's photos! Shiny orange flowers with black centres cover the plants throughout summer. Unlike the hybrid varieties, they are low growing spreading plants. A bit straggly, so plant them fairly close so they overlap.

Save the seed each year and you'll have them for ever, and they're much better than the floppy, anaemic hybrids most seed companies peddle.

For me, the seeds produced a mix of colors, a medium yellow with purple tinge at the center and an orange. My outside plants produced ...Read Moreabundant foliage and very thick stems for much of summer but late in August suddenly burst into bloom, producing heavily until the first very hard frost. My only complaint was the delayed bloom, but that might have been my fault (over fertilized soil?). Overall, nice sturdy, healthy plants.

Rich, well-drained soil (will grow in poorer sandy or dry soils) but keep well-watered in dry conditions. Propagate by seed.