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Euryops chrysanthemoides African Bush Daisy, Bull's Eye, Bush Daisy

Edward F. Gilman, Linda Landrum, Ryan W. Klein, and Gail Hansen

Introduction

The cheerful, bright yellow flowers of African bush daisy are produced in great number throughout the year. 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.
Full Form - Euryops chrysanthemoides: African Bush Daisy, Bull's Eye, Bush Daisy
Figure 1. Full Form - Euryops chrysanthemoides: African Bush Daisy, Bull's Eye, Bush Daisy
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS

 

Leaf - Euryops chrysanthemoides: African Bush Daisy, Bull's Eye, Bush Daisy
Figure 2. Leaf - Euryops chrysanthemoides: African Bush Daisy, Bull's Eye, Bush Daisy
Credit: Edward F. Gilman, UF/IFAS

General Information

Scientific name: Euryops chrysanthemoides

Pronunciation: you-RHE-ops kriss-santh-ee-MOY-deez

Common name(s): African bush daisy, daisy bush

Family: Asteraceae

Plant type: perennial; shrub; herbaceous

USDA hardiness zones: 8B through 11 (Figure 3)

Planting month for zone 8: year round

Planting month for zone 9: year round

Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round

Origin: native to Africa

Invasive potential: not known to be invasive

Uses: mass planting; specimen; border; container or aboveground planter; foundation; attracts butterflies

Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the plant

Shaded area represents potential planting range.
Figure 3. Shaded area represents potential planting range.
Credit:

Description

Height: 2 to 4 feet

Spread: 3 to 4 feet

Plant habit: round

Plant density: dense

Growth rate: moderate

Texture: fine

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 0.5 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 multi trunked 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

Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests

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. African bush daisy reseeds itself readily. Plant on 18 to 24inch 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.

Publication #FPS-220

Release Date:October 30, 2023

Related Collections

Part of Shrubs Fact Sheets

Related Topics

Organism ID

About this Publication

This document is FPS-220, one of a series of the Department of Environmental Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 1999. Revised October 2023. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

About the Authors

Edward F. Gilman, professor emeritus; Linda Landrum, Extension agent, UF/IFAS Extension Volusia County; Ryan W. Klein, assistant professor, arboriculture; and Gail Hansen, professor, sustainable landscape design; Department of Environmental Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

Contacts

  • Gail Hansen de Chapman