Cut Leaf Daisy Mauve Mystery

Cut Leaf Daisy 'Mauve Mystery' (Brachyscome 'Mauve Mystery') is an Australian native groundcover that flowers for most of the year. It forms a low mound around 30cm tall and 80cm across, with fine ferny foliage almost hidden under mauve purple daisies from spring through to autumn. Bees and butterflies find it immediately, and once established it asks for nothing but a shear back after each flush.

Why you'll love it

• Months of flowering, not weeks. The main display runs spring to autumn, with scattered flowers through winter in mild districts.
• It grows almost anywhere. Frost hardy, drought tolerant and salt tolerant, so it works from cool temperate gardens through to arid inland and coastal blocks.
• Fast cover from small plants. Each plant spreads to about 80cm within a season, so a bed closes over quickly and weeds get no window.
• Genuine value for pollinators. Open daisy flowers are easy for native bees and butterflies to work, unlike the tubular flowers many natives carry.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart for dense cover. A pack of ten covers roughly 1.6 square metres at that spacing and knits together within one warm season.

Borders and edging. At 30cm high it softens a path or driveway edge without ever needing to be cut back off the paving.

Rockeries and pots. It spills naturally over rock and pot rims, and the free draining conditions in both suit it better than a rich garden bed.

Growing Mauve Mystery Cut Leaf Daisy in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering, though it takes partial shade with a looser habit. It is comfortable in subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and it is frost hardy once established.

Soil. Free draining is the only real requirement. Sandy and gravelly soils are ideal. On clay, plant on a raised bed or mound, since sitting in wet soil over winter is the usual cause of losses.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. Use a low phosphorus native fertiliser in early spring. Standard garden fertilisers push soft leafy growth and fewer flowers.

Pruning. Shear the whole plant back by about a third after each heavy flush. This is what keeps it dense and flowering; left alone it opens out in the middle and goes woody at the base after two or three years.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: single tubes, and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are young rooted plants a few centimetres across, the economical way to cover a large area, and they take a season to reach full spread. The 140mm pack arrives as established plants already in bud or flower, which is quicker for a small bed or border.

Both sizes travel well, though flowers may be knocked about in transit. Trim those off and the next flush follows within weeks. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing the right edging plants
• Browse the full groundcover range
• See more bee and butterfly plants
• Compare options for rockeries and dry banks

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

At 40cm spacing you need about six plants per square metre for dense cover in one season. Stretch to 50cm if you are happy to wait longer and want to buy fewer.

How long does it live?

Three to five years is typical, and it is honest to plan for that. Shearing after each flowering flush extends it considerably, and self sown seedlings often fill the gaps.

Will it handle frost?

Yes. It is frost hardy once established and performs well in cool temperate gardens. Young plants going into their first winter benefit from a light mulch over the roots.