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Publication #FPS-220

Gamolepis chrysanthemoides African Bush Daisy1

Edward F. Giilman, Linda Landrum2

Inltroduction

The cheerful, bright yellow flowers of African Bush Daisy are produced in great number throughout the year (Fig. 1). The loose, rounded form makes a colorful tall ground cover, small shrub, or works well in mixed flower borders. The finely-divided leaves have a lacy, fern-like appearance.

General Information

Scientific name: Gamolepis chrysanthemoides
Pronunciation: gam-oh-LEP-iss kriss-santh-ee-MOY-deez
Common name(s): African Bush-Daisy, Daisy-Bush
Family: Compositae
Plant type: perennial; shrub; herbaceous
USDA hardiness zones: 8B through 11 (Fig. 2)
Planting month for zone 8: year round
Planting month for zone 9: year round
Figure 1. 

African Bush-Daisy.
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round
Origin: not native to North America
Uses: mass planting; specimen; border; container or aboveground
planter; foundation; attracts butterflies
Availablity: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the plant

Description

Figure 2. 

Shaded area represents potential planting range.
Height: 2 to 4 feet
Spread: 3 to 4 feet
Plant habit: round
Plant density: dense
Growth rate: moderate
Texture: fine

Figure 3. 

Foliage of African Bush-Daisy

Foliage

Leaf arrangement: alternate
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: lobed
Leaf shape: ovate
Leaf venation: pinnate
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen
Leaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches
Leaf color: green
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy

Flower

Flower color: yellow
Flower characteristic: year-round flowering

Fruit

Fruit shape: unknown
Fruit length: less than .5 inch
Fruit cover: dry or hard
Fruit color: unknown
Fruit characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy

Trunk and Branches

Trunk/bark/branches: not particularly showy; typically multitrunked or clumping stems
Current year stem/twig color: green
Current year stem/twig thickness: medium

Culture

Light requirement: plant grows in full sun
Soil tolerances: clay; sand; acidic; slightly alkaline; loam
Drought tolerance: moderate
Soil salt tolerances: poor
Plant spacing: 24 to 36 inches

Other

Roots: usually not a problem
Winter interest: plant has winter interest due to unusual form, nice persistent fruits, showy winter trunk, or winter flowers
Outstanding plant: not particularly outstanding
Invasive potential: not known to be invasive
Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests
Figure 3. 

Foliage of African Bush-Daisy

Use and Management

An excellent plant for dry conditions, African Bush Daisy requires full sun and occasional clipping to encourage dense growth. For this reason, another similar plant, Euryops pectinatus, is beginning to replace African Bush Daisy because it is more compact and flowers more. Bush Daisy reseeds itself readily. Plant on 18 to 24-inch centers to form a mass planting. They are often frozen to the ground in USDA hardiness zone 8b but resprout from the base in the spring.
Propagation is by seed.

Pest and Diseases

Nematodes are the biggest concern.

Footnotes

1.

This document is FPS-220, one of a series of the [] Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date October, 1999. Revised May, 2007. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Edward F. Gilman, professor, environmental Horticulture Department, Linda Landrum, extension agent, Volusia County, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.