Osteospermum Pink – Cape Daisy
Covered year round with light pink daisy-like flowers with darker eye.
Habit:
This is a half-woody perennial which forms a compact mat up to 0.5M high. It is probably the most profuse flowering plant in Karin’s Garden, flowering year round with a particulary sunning display in late spring and early summer.
Origins:
Osteospermum come from South Africa as the English name suggests. This plant is a hydrid from O. jucundum which grows in grasslands, at the edges of forests and on rocky hillsides.
Soil / Aspect:
Osteospermum prefers rich soil, but seem to flourish on poor soils with a bit of feeding. The do need good drainage and are drought tolerant. Osteospermum are generally half-hardy, and are frequently used as annuals in bedding schemes. However, this one survives over winter in sheltered situations in coastal Tasman. Requires full sun.
Maintenance:
To get the best out of this plant you do need to dead-head regularly, which is time consuming as you do not want to remove the next flower bud on the stem in the process. One plant will take some twenty minutes to dead-head each week, to get the most stunning and longest lasting display. Cut back to a compact shape in spring when the full extent of any winter damage is apparent.