Cut Leaf Daisy ‘Break of Day’

Cut Leaf Daisy 'Break of Day' (Brachyscome iberidifolia 'Break of Day') is a Western Australian native that turns a bare patch of dry ground into a sheet of blue and purple daisies. It sits at only 30cm tall and spreads to about 40cm, growing fast enough to carpet a bed in a single season. The flowers are small, held just above finely divided foliage, and they keep coming from spring right through summer.

Why you'll love it

• Colour within months, not years. Planted in spring it is flowering by early summer, the quickest way to lift a new bed or a tired rockery.
• Blue and purple, which is rare. True blue tones are uncommon in Australian natives, and this one carries them in quantity.
• A magnet for bees and butterflies. Open faced daisies are easy for pollinators to work, and a mass planting hums through summer.
• Genuinely tough. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and salt tolerant, so it holds up in hot, dry, exposed positions where softer groundcovers collapse.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 30cm apart for a solid carpet of colour. At that spacing the plants merge in about three months through the warm season with no visible gaps.

Rockeries and dry slopes. Sharp drainage and reflected heat suit it perfectly, and it will tumble over a rock face or the edge of a retaining wall.

Borders, edging and pots. Run it along the front of a native bed to soften a hard line. It also works as a spilling filler in a mixed pot, provided the container drains freely.

Growing Cut Leaf Daisy in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with at least six hours of direct light. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and takes light frost only. In humid tropical and subtropical gardens the constant moisture rots the crown.

Soil. Free draining and on the lean side, with sandy soils ideal. Do not enrich the bed heavily, because rich soil produces soft growth and fewer flowers. On clay, plant into a raised bed.

Water and feed. Water twice weekly for the first six weeks, then only through extended dry spells. Feed lightly with a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring. Overwatering is the most common way to lose this plant.

Pruning. Shear the whole planting back by about a third once the main spring flush fades. That triggers a second wave of flowers and stops the centre going woody and bare.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, tube stock, which is exactly how a groundcover of this type should be bought. Each plant arrives small with a well developed root system, and that is what lets it take off quickly once planted. The low tube price makes covering a decent area affordable.

Plants travel upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect roots to move within two to three weeks and full cover in about three months. Be aware this is a naturally short lived plant, often behaving as an annual in warmer, humid gardens, so plan to replant every few years. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Easy groundcovers for Australian gardens
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Plants suited to rockeries and dry slopes
• Plants that attract bees and butterflies

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At 30cm spacing you need about eleven plants per square metre for a solid carpet. Stretch that to 40cm if you are happy to wait an extra season for the gaps to close.

How long will it last?

It is short lived by nature. In cooler, drier gardens expect two to three years, and in warm humid areas often a single strong season. Shearing after flowering and avoiding overwatering extend its life.

Does it cope with frost?

Light frost only. It handles the occasional cold morning in a temperate garden but will not survive repeated hard frosts, so in cold districts treat it as a warm season planting.