Cape Daisy ‘Margarita Crème’

Cape Daisy 'Margarita Creme' (Osteospermum hybrid) is the low, hard working daisy for the front edge of a sunny bed. It settles at about 40cm tall and 60cm across, then covers itself in cream and white daisies through spring, with a second showing in autumn. Drought, heat and salt tolerant once established, it holds ground where fussier perennials give up.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers you notice from the street. At peak the blooms sit so thickly above the foliage that the leaves almost disappear.
• Genuinely low water. Once the roots are down it copes with dry spells, heat and salt spray without sulking.
• Fast to fill a gap. A tube planted in spring covers its 60cm of ground within a season.
• Bees and butterflies work it. Open daisy flowers are easy landing pads for pollinators.
• Low maintenance by nature. A shear after each flush is the whole job. No staking, no spraying.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart along a path for a continuous ribbon of colour. Any tighter and the plants crowd into damp, congested growth.

Mass planting. The same 40cm spacing across a bed gives a low carpet, useful on a wide front garden where mowing is a nuisance.

Rockeries, pots and coastal gardens. Sharp drainage suits it, so a rockery pocket or a 300mm pot on a hot balcony both work, as does an exposed seaside front garden.

Growing cape daisy in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun all day. In shade it stretches and the flowers stay shut. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens. Light frost is the limit, so cold inland and tableland districts want it in a pot that can move under cover.

Soil. Free draining is the only real requirement, and poor sandy ground suits it. On clay, raise the bed 150mm or plant on a mound, because wet feet through winter kills most cape daisies.

Water and feed. Water twice a week for the first six weeks, then only through long dry spells. A light dose of controlled release fertiliser in early spring is plenty. Overfeeding gives you leaves instead of flowers.

Pruning. Shear the plant back by a third once the spring flush finishes. That stops the centre going woody and brings on the autumn flowering. Expect to replace plants every three to four years.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is grown in tubes. A tube is a young plant with a well developed root plug and 100mm to 150mm of top growth, which is the sensible way to buy something that spreads this quickly: twenty five tubes cover far more ground than a handful of larger pots for the same money.

Tubes are light and hold together in transit. Plant within a few days of arrival, water in, and keep mulch thin around the crown. Expect flowers in the first season. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing the right edging plants
• Browse bee and butterfly plants
• Rockery plants for sharp drainage
• Coastal and salt tolerant planting

Common questions

How far apart should I plant cape daisies?

Space them 40cm apart for a continuous carpet. Any closer and the plants shade each other at the base, which invites rot in humid weather.

Why do the flowers close in the afternoon?

Cape daisies shut their flowers in low light and reopen in sun. It is normal behaviour, not a fault, but a shaded bed will look flowerless for much of the day.

Will it survive frost?

It handles light frost once established, and no more. In cold inland and tableland gardens grow it in a pot and shift it under cover for winter.