Cape Daisy Lazy Daisy Copper

Cape Daisy 'Lazy Daisy Copper' (Osteospermum 'Lazy Daisy Copper') carries warm copper orange daisies through the cooler months, when most borders have gone quiet. It stays low at about 30cm tall and spreads to 50cm, forming a neat spreading cushion rather than a leggy clump. Tough, fast and undemanding, it is the sort of plant you put in once and largely forget.

Why you'll love it

• Colour in the off season. The main flush runs through autumn, winter and spring in mild districts, filling the gap other perennials leave.
• An unusual shade. Copper orange petals fading to a bronze reverse, which reads better with native and Mediterranean planting than the usual pinks.
• Handles heat and salt. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and salt tolerant, so hot verges and coastal front gardens suit it.
• Feeds pollinators. Open faced flowers are easy landing pads for bees and butterflies.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart along a path or bed edge for a low continuous ribbon that softens the line without flopping over it.

Groundcover and mass planting. At the same 40cm spacing a run of plants closes into a carpet of colour within a season, which is an efficient way to cover a sunny slope.

Pots and rockeries. The compact habit suits a mixed container, a balcony pot or the pockets between rocks, where sharp drainage brings out the best growth.

Growing cape daisy in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and plenty of it. Flowers open in response to light, so a shaded position gives leaves and very little colour. It grows well in warm temperate, Mediterranean, subtropical and cool temperate gardens, and tolerates light frost only, so hard frosting districts should treat it as a seasonal planting or grow it in a movable pot.

Soil. Free draining above all else. It will take sandy and average garden soils happily, but heavy wet clay causes collapse, so raise the bed or add coarse material before planting.

Water and feed. Water twice a week for the first month, then only through dry spells. A light application of controlled release fertiliser in early autumn supports the main flowering period.

Pruning. Shear the whole plant back by about a third after the main flush finishes. This is the difference between a tidy cushion and a woody, sparse plant, and it usually brings a second wave of flower.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock and in a 140mm pack of ten. Tubes are small young plants and the cheapest way to fill a long edge, while the 140mm pack of ten is the practical unit for a border or a mass planting and gives colour sooner. Neither size arrives as a finished mound.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Expect roots to take within two to three weeks in mild weather, then quick spread and the first flowers in the same season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing plants for garden edges
• Browse groundcover plants
• Plants suited to rockeries
• Bee and butterfly friendly plants

Common questions

How many plants do I need for a border?

One every 40cm along the run. Ten plants cover about four metres of edge, or roughly a square metre and a half of solid groundcover.

Why do the flowers close up?

Cape daisies close at night and on heavily overcast days, which is normal. They reopen with the sun, so give them the brightest position you have.

How long will it last?

Treat it as a short lived perennial of three to four years. Shearing after flowering extends it, and cuttings strike easily if you want to keep the planting going.

Will it cope with a humid summer?

In humid subtropical gardens it performs best over the cooler half of the year and can thin out through a wet summer. Sharp drainage and open spacing reduce the risk.