Cut Leaf Daisy

Cut Leaf Daisy (Brachyscome multifida) is an Australian native groundcover that flowers for most of the year and asks for almost nothing in return. It forms a soft mound about 30cm tall and 60cm wide of fine ferny foliage, covered in mauve to white daisies through the warm months and often well beyond. Planted 40cm apart it knits into a continuous carpet inside a season.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers in waves, not one short flush. Mauve to white daisies keep coming for most of the year, so the bed rarely looks bare.
• Fast cover from a small plant. A tube fills its allotted space within a season, which makes a large area affordable.
• Native and hardy. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, drought tolerant once established and untroubled by poor soil.
• Good for pollinators. The open daisies are easy landing pads for native bees and butterflies.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart across a bed, bank or nature strip. Tighter spacing does not cover any faster and simply uses more plants.

Borders and edging. Along a path it softens a hard line and stays low enough not to sprawl over paving, given one trim a year.

Rockeries and pots. It tumbles well over rock and pot edges, and the sharp drainage in both suits it better than a rich garden bed.

Growing Cut Leaf Daisy in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering; part shade means fewer blooms and softer growth. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean gardens and is frost hardy, so southern and inland districts are fine. Constant tropical humidity is its weak point.

Soil. Free draining, and not too rich. Poor sandy or gravelly ground produces tighter growth and better flowering than an improved bed. On clay, raise the bed and add coarse material.

Water and feed. Water twice a week for the first eight weeks, then only through long dry spells. One light native fertiliser, low in phosphorus, in early spring is plenty; heavy feeding gives leaf at the expense of flowers.

Pruning. Shear the whole plant back by about a third after the main flush, usually in late summer. That stops the centre going woody and brings on the next wave of buds.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes: tubestock, 140mm in packs of ten and 200mm in packs of six. Tubes are the economical way to cover a large area and close over at 40cm spacing within a season. The 140mm and 200mm plants arrive already mounded and often in flower.

Soft foliage can look flattened after transit and lifts again within a few days. Plant promptly, water in well, and expect the first flush within four to six weeks in the warm months. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our guide to choosing groundcover plants.
• Browse the full groundcover range.
• Compare more Australian native plants.
• Plant it alongside other bee and butterfly plants.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for groundcover?

40cm apart in a staggered grid. The mounds meet within a season and the planting reads as continuous, while each plant keeps enough room to hold its shape.

How long does it live?

Three to five years is typical, and it goes woody in the centre sooner if never trimmed. Shearing it back each year after flowering keeps it dense and extends its useful life.

Can I walk on it?

No. It is not a lawn substitute and will not take foot traffic, so use it beside paths and steppers rather than between them.