African Daisy
Osteospermum
African Daisy blooms from April through June.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing African Daisy
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 9–11. Expect it to reach about 12 in tall and 12 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant African Daisy
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out African Daisy into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from April to June.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 9 in February.
Comes in 5 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about African Daisy
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
The flowers close up at night and in cloudy, low-light weather, then reopen in full sun. On older types a gray day can leave them shut. per UMass and NC State
Bloom length depends on climate
Illinois reports a long May to October show; Missouri Botanical Garden sees a shorter May to July flush in hot, humid summers. Cool nights drive it, not the calendar. per Illinois and Missouri Botanical Garden
Metallic blue central eye
The big daisy flowers ring a central disc that reads metallic blue or violet until the yellow pollen sheds, which is why one nickname is blue-eyed daisy. per UMass and Illinois
Rots in wet soil
Its main weakness is wet feet: overwatered or poorly drained soil triggers root and crown rot (Phytophthora, Pythium, Rhizoctonia). Keep it evenly moist but sharply drained. per Minnesota and UMass
African daisy names many plants
Several unrelated daisies share the name African daisy: Osteospermum, Dimorphotheca, Arctotis, Gazania and Gerbera. They differ in care and safety, so match the botanical name to look one up. per NC State and ASPCA
Takes light frost, not freezes
It shrugs off a light frost, down to 28 F and sometimes 25 F, but a hard freeze kills it. Most gardeners grow it as a cool-season annual. per UMass and Iowa State
What pairs well with African Daisy
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Joe Pye Weed
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Sneezeweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
False Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Passionflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; echoes the purple.
Lavender
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into late summer; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; both offer pollinator forage.
Rose of Sharon
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; stands well above at 8.2 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Witch Hazel
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; stands well above at 9.8 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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