Native Daisies

Daisies belong to the Asteraceae family. They range from groundcovers to small and large shrubs but the best known and loved are the ground spreading varieties.

There are many native daisies to choose from for the home garden. Some make excellent cut flowers, others useful as dried flowers and many are suitable for planting as annuals and rockery or border plants. Judicious use of daisies will add year round colour to the garden.

Daisy flower with compound
bracts (R. "Paper Star") and masses of gold flowers.

Daisy flower, Right is
individual floret with tiny yellow flower at the base

In this family what appears to be a single flower is actually a cluster of flowers surrounded by many individual ray florets, which resemble the petals of the standard flower.

GROUND COVERING DAISIES

Brachyscome angustifolia

This plant has purple to mauve flowers on short stalks. Some flowers are usually present for most of the year but its main flowering time is Spring to Summer. It is best grown in full sun or part shade in most soil types. It is a useful rockery specimen and does well in a hanging basket. .It spreads by underground rhizomes which are encouraged if a layer of mulch is applied.

New hybrids and cultivars available include Brachyscome ‘White Delight’ and Brachyscome ‘Sunburst’.

Brachyscome multifida (Cut-leaf Daisy)

Very similar to B. angustifolia, this is a very hardy plant, but appreciates some moisture. Mostly summer flowering, it spreads readily.

Ask at the nursery for new cultivars available such as Brachyscome ‘Hot Candy’ (a pink flowered form).

Helichrysum baxteri (now Chrysocephalum baxteri (Yellow Everlasting)

This plant forms a small clump about 30cm wide. The flowers support a ring of white petal like ray florets with a yellow centre. Mainly in Spring and Summer, they are best in ful sun with some moisture.

Helichrysum ramosissimum (Yellow Buttons)

This ground cover has glaucous foliage which provide a colour contrast among other ground covering plants. It can spread to 1m or more and yellow flowers are found . most of the year.

Rhodanthe anthemoides syn. Helipterum anthemoides (Chamomile Sunray)

Most loved for its glaucouss foliage and white papery flower 'petals' and yellow centres, this little plant may grow to 50cm. Particularly attractive when in flower, plant several close together for an impressive display.

Rhodanthe ‘Paper Star’ is a more compact form of the species.

Rhodanthe chlorocephala

R.chlorocephala is an annual and comes in many different colours. It is usually available at the nursery as seed as well as in containers. Try to sow seeds before Spring in a sandy soil. (click here). Definitely best in full sun.

DAISY BUSHES

There are a number of small to medium shrubs in the daisy family and these usually have masses of small daisy type flowers covering the bush when in flower. Olearia and Ozothamnus species are good examples of daisy bushes.

Olearia glutinosa (Sticky Daisy Bush)

A small shrub growing to a height of 2m with white flowers during Spring. Plant Olearia glutinosa in full sun to part shade in a well-drained position. Useful as a rockery plant, in amongst other small shrubs in a cottage garden and as a pot plant. It is also a good coastal plant.

Ozothamnus diosmifolius syn. Helichrysum diosmifolius (Rice Flower)

Once more common in the local area around Menai, this is an erect shrub growing up to 3m. Its 'flowers' are normally white but a pink flowering form is also in cultivation. In a garden situation it is essential to cut back hard after flowering.

A dwarf form, O. diosmifolius ‘Petite’ is also available.

Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum (Silver Bush)

This delightful rockery plant may grow to 40cm. garden edges and native gardens. The foliage is silvery grey and small, yellow flowers cover the plant from October to January as well as at other times of the year. Foliage is silvery.

Xerochrysum bracteata syn, Bracteantha bracteata

Found in the Royal National Park towards Stanwell Park and along Lady Carrington Drive, this lovely paper daisy grows best in full sun, protected from the hot west. It may grow to about 1.5m high with flowers most of the year. An excellent cut flower it can also be dried as an Everlasting.

Forms are now available in pink, white, yellow and lemon.

If you are interested in finding more about Daisy plants, borrow the following from your library.
Fairley and Moore, Native Plants of the Sydney District, Revised Edition, Kangaroo Press, Sydney, 2002.
Wrigley and Fagg, Australian Native Plants, 5^th Edition, Reed New Holland, Sydney, 2003.
The Australian Daisy Study Group, Australian Daisies for Gardens and Floral Art, Lothian, Melbourne, 1987.

Interest Note:
Helichrysum - name meaning from Helios: sun and chrysos: gold.
Xerochrysum - name meaning from Xero: dry and chrysos: gold
P. luteoalbum - from Luteo from yellow, album from white
B. multifida - multi means much, fidum means cleft or divided into many parts
C. baxteri -after William Baxter a collector in WA 1823-1830.

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