Full Sun Perennials – Osteospermums For Fabulous Color.

Osteospermums Are Drought Resistant, Full Sun Perennials

Everyone loves Osteospermums or Cape Daisies. Historically they were white or purple daisy flowers with purple centers. They are full sun perennials; drought resistant small shrubs or ground covers that keep on blooming from spring to fall.

These sun loving perennials have come a long way and now come in a kaleidoscopic array of colors, with graded colors within the petals themselves.

Since coming to America, I have gathered up quite a collection of these drought resistant ground covers, helped along by some pale purple ones that have self seeded under the Maples. Interestingly enough, they still seem to be quite happy under the trees even though the leaves are out and they are now in semi shade. They self seed happily and I have propogated the hybrids successfully from cuttings I took in the fall.

I notice that these sun loving plants are very popular in this area of the world, perhaps because they are so drought tolerant near the coast and further inland too. One difference I have found is that in the classic colors are more ground cover-like in nature, with a low, wide spread whereas the new varieties are more like dense bushes, standing a foot high.

A couple of weeks ago I saw what I thought were Namaqualand (African) Daisies in the nursery which, of course, instantly attracted my attention, having been lucky enough to go on a wild flower tour in the Western Cape a couple of years ago where the landscape was orange as far as the eye could see. But when I saw them up close I realized they were Osteospermums. How the growers have managed that, I don’t know, but I gobbled up a yellow and an orange immediately. Osteospermums are advertised as annuals so obviously don’t like temperatures that are too low but mine have made it through the winter just fine and are in full bloom for their second season as we speak.

I also found a lovely, if totally different looking one called a Blue Eyed Beauty which has a more Crysanthemum looking flower on it, with yellow and white petals and, of course, a blue eye. If you fancy this one, order it from Burpee now. Now that I have all these lovely ladies, I have to keep most of them in pots because I don’t have enough garden space. Luckily, they don’t seem to mind at all but I do have to water them whereas I don’t seem to have to water the ones in the ground at all! I guess I might have to once the spring winds start.

To make cuttings, just cut off a few stems, strip away most of the leaves, leaving a few at the top, and insert into a pot with a mixture of sand and potting soil in it. Keep the soil damp. I kept mine in a little plastic green house so they were protected from frost. You can dust the bottom of the stems with rooting powder if you like but I didn’t bother. They’re happy to do their bit to increase their population.

Happy gardening and don’t forget your sunscreen. There’s so much skin cancer about, you must protect your skin.

By the way, here is a link to a list of gopher resistant plants:http://www.groundcoversandgardening.com/gopher resistant plants.

If you want to buy plants that deer probably won’t eat, look here.

Save

Save

Save

Save