skip to main content

Australian Native Plants

Daisies: Who grows what?

20 years ago

I have Xerochrysum bracteatum (golden paper daisy) (I suppose we all do?) It's so easy to renew annually with easy-to grow seeds from old plants, sown in March. I put them into tubes of the sort more usually used for trees and shrubs, as they are then easily looked after in the bush-house, and can go out into the garden a few month later with almost no after care, flowering happily until the next autumn.

I have Brachyscome multifida. It's easy to buy, but doesn't grow as well here as it apparently does in some other places. It lasts a few years, doesn't want to self-reproduce, and I find it a bit difficult to propagate.

I have a Senecio (lautus var montanus) - another easy daisy that is a mass of yellow flower now (July). It's a perennial,30cm high by perhaps 50 across, dense dark green foliage, needs cutting back severely when it is having its summer rest,and self-seeds effectively but moderately, so doesn't seem to want to get weedy.

Rhodanthe manglesii (pink straw daisy, from WA) flowers well in spring then I weed it out, but seedlings come up again by themselves in July, but only in my gardens, so I don't think it would ever get weedy here.

But out there in the wild there seem to be heaps of other good daisies which I don't see in gardens. Any suggestions?

Trish

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

nathanhurst
20 years ago
I like growing the craspedias and pycnosoruseses. They come in colours ranging from white to dark orange, have leaves that can be smooth or hairy, dark green to white and narrow to flat.

Bottle daisies are nice too. And celmissia, brachyscombes, and paper daisies, and podolepises, olearias, rhodanthes?
Frank_S
20 years ago
I have been growing a yellow-flowering paper daisy, originally from seed taken from a brother-in law's place near Kingaroy a few years ago. It has self-seeded since then but in the last year, that has petered out, probably because it has been too dry. The plant I have now is on its last legs and yesterday I contemplated pulling it out altogether.

I have seen similar plants growing between Kingaroy and the Bunyas. Some plants are considerably taller and weedier than others, and I have tried to encourage the bushier lower-growing plants. Possibly there are a couple of species, but I haven't tried to identify them.
Related Discussions
English daisy/bellis-- easy to grow from seed?
Q
Comments (2)
Also, they seem to like the cooler spring weather, so I'd start in very early spring and sow indoors under lights. I always spread the seed that the plants produce outdoors but I never have gotten germination that way.
...See More
can i grow Daisy's from seed?
Q
Comments (4)
"Daisy" refers more to the flower shape than to a particular flower. Do you know what kind of daisies they were? Montauk, Painted, English, etc... any ideas? You could try googling images of daisies and see if you find anything familiar. If you don't know, try sowing some seeds now and some after the last frost date. If what you have is Montauk daisies (possible because you said they are huge) try getting a cutting in May and planting that... I hear they root and grow from cuttings very easily.
...See More
Growing Roses and Gerber Daisies
Q
Comments (1)
I think you'd do just fine with both of these. I would also recommend miniature roses for patio pots. I've had these in pots on my patio for several seasons at a time. Can't say how a full sized rose would do in a pot, but I don't see why, given an adequately sized pot, they wouldn't do well. Roses are much easier than people think and there's lots of info. online for them. Just make sure they get enough water in the summertime and that they stay relatively cool (shaded patio is great) and they'll be fine.
...See More
Anyone else grow Crazy Daisy?
Q
Comments (14)
Mary Lu, whatever the secret is to growing the Crazies, you've found it. Yours are lovely! Here is MY story: I bought three 'Crazy Daisy' about 4 years ago. They didn't perform too well in my zone 5 garden, but I didn't expect them to in the first year. That winter 2 died (the ONLY plants not to make it in the entire garden). The lone remaining plant gave a lackluster performance that summer, then contracted something fatal and bit the dust before September. Not one to give up, I bought more plants the following spring, putting them in a different location. The result was the same. I've given up on them. Through all of this my 'Becky' shasta daisy was strong and beautiful and bloomed her head off. I've divided her many times over the years and the offspring are as sturdy and full of blooms as the parent. Go figure. the end Patti
...See More
justcorreas
20 years ago
I've had Brachyscombe growing over the years, both the leafy Segmentosa and the different Multitifida forms, but they seem short lived plants and don't grow well in the sandy soil here. I'm about 50 km s/e of Melbourne.
nathanhurst
20 years ago
frank: most of the paper daisies are easy to grow from cutting and seed - take a bunch of cuttings and seed and start anew.

justcorreas: they're really easy to propagate from cuttings - just keep a few cuttings on the go and turf out any scabby plants. I find they do very well in sandy soil, and much less well in loam and clay.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES 9 Low-Growing Hedges That Make Good Neighbors

Define garden areas or borders without blocking the view, with these evergreen shrubs that take kindly to trimming

GARDENING GUIDES Grow a Beautiful Fall Garden in a Pot

Welcome autumn with 7 gorgeous plants that thrive in containers and enliven your porch or patio throughout the cooler season

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Plants That Snobs Love to Hate — and You'll Love to Grow

Don't dismiss these common annuals, perennials and shrubs — there are reasons they've been popular for so long

FARM YOUR YARD Grow a Kitchen Garden in 16 Square Feet

Got a sunny 4-by-4 space? You can make meals more interesting with your own vegetables and herbs

GARDENING GUIDES Mix or Mass Daisies for Two Great Garden Looks

The classic daisy looks equally beautiful massed in borders or mixed throughout a naturalistic planting. Which look suits your style?

GROUND COVERS Great Design Plant: Blackfoot Daisy for Prettier Dry Ground

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Don’t let its delicate looks fool you. This ground cover can survive extreme cold and heat, and with little water to boot

GARDENING GUIDES Houzz Call: What’s Your Favorite Backyard Beauty?

By Stacy Briscoe

The simple, honest daisy is this writer’s go-to garden flower. We want to hear which plant, flowering or otherwise, gives you special joy

GARDENING GUIDES Beautiful Flowers and Foliage From Dedicated Backyard Gardeners

By Stacy Briscoe

From lawn daisies to topiaries, Houzz users share their backyard beauties

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Flowers of ‘Berlandiera Lyrata’ Surprise With a Subtle Chocolate Scent

By Susan J Tweit

This heat- and drought-tolerant Southern Plains native offers up daisy-like yellow blooms from spring to first frost

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Top Native Plants for Southern California Gardens

By Debbie Ballentine

Enjoy a fuss-free, water-wise garden by growing plants naturally in tune with the climate and wildlife of Southern California

Sponsored