Gazania ‘Silver Leaf’

Gazania 'Silver Leaf' (Gazania rigens 'Silver Leaf') is the groundcover for the hard, hot, forgotten parts of a garden. It stays under 30cm tall and spreads to about 50cm, laying down a mat of silver grey foliage that throws up bright yellow and orange daisies through the warmer months. It grows in sand, takes salt spray and asks for very little water once established.

Why you'll love it

• Silver foliage that works without flowers. The grey leaves hold their own between flushes, so the planting never looks bare.
• Real drought and heat tolerance. Once its roots are down it survives on rainfall in most seasons, which makes it a sensible answer for a dry verge.
• Coastal and poor soil tolerant. Salt spray, sand and thin soil are all fine, which rules out most other flowering groundcovers.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and low enough that a dog can walk through it.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart for a dense cover. At that spacing the mats meet within a season, which shades out weeds before they establish.

Coastal gardens and rockeries. It suits the front of an exposed bed, the gaps in a rock wall and the sandy ground behind a dune where little else holds on.

Borders and edging. A single line at 40cm centres softens a path or driveway edge, and the low height keeps sightlines clear.

Growing Gazania in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, without exception. The flowers close in shade and on overcast days, and plants in part shade stretch and thin out. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, arid and Mediterranean gardens, and tolerates light frost only, so hard frosting inland and southern districts will lose it over a cold winter.

Soil. Free draining and poor is ideal. Sandy and gravelly soils suit it perfectly. On clay, raise the bed or plant on a slope, because sitting wet through winter is what kills gazanias rather than cold or drought.

Water and feed. Water twice a week for the first month, then taper to nothing beyond dry spells. Feeding is largely unnecessary and heavy feeding produces leggy growth with fewer flowers.

Maintenance. Shear the whole planting back by about a third after the main flush to keep it tight and encourage a second wave. Deadhead spent flowers near the coast, since it can self seed into bushland if left to run.

What to expect when it arrives

Gazania is sold as tube stock only. Each plant arrives as a small rosette of silver leaves with a strong root system, usually without flowers, and it travels well because there is little soft growth to damage. A tube spreads to fill its 50cm patch inside a warm season, so a bank closes over quickly.

Gazanias are naturally short lived, so plan on replanting tired patches every three or four years. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, which suits a groundcover normally bought by the dozen. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A guide to choosing groundcover plants
• Browse the full groundcover range
• More plants for coastal and salt exposed gardens
• Other drought tolerant options for dry beds

Common questions

How many do I need per square metre?

At 40cm spacing you need about six plants per square metre for a dense cover. Wider spacing works, it just takes an extra season to close.

Why do the flowers close during the day?

Gazania flowers open in direct sun and close in shade or heavy cloud. It is normal behaviour, not stress, and it is the main reason the plant needs a genuinely sunny position.

How long will the planting last?

Three to four years at its best. Shearing it back after flowering extends that, but expect to replace tired patches rather than treating it as permanent.

Will it take over?

Near the coast it can self seed beyond the bed. Shearing off spent flowers before they set seed keeps it in place.