OSTEOSPERMUMS – COLOUR FOR DRY TIMES

Winter and early spring is Osteospermum season. These indigenous daisies have been subjected to extensive breeding programmes around the globe. Today they are available in a myriad of colours with differing growth habits. Definitely a far cry from the white and mauve species that are their original parents found in the wild. These garden hybrids are covered in a flush of colourful daisies for weeks or months at a time. They thrive in the dry winter weather lending colour to the landscape when it’s most needed. Check out Blackwood for some of the latest additions to the range of “Osteos” as they are often called. Their proper common name is Cape daisy or Berg bietou.

Growing hints:

• Grow in full sun
• Best in well drained soil conditions
• Fertilise every 6 weeks with 5:1:5 granules
• Check flowers for caterpillars that eat the buds and petals
• Dead head spent flowers
• Prune back straggly plants lightly
• Space plants 40 to 50 cm apart

Garden uses:

• Good for adding winter and spring colour to beds and borders
• Use in pots and containers
• Great in indigenous gardens