Plant indigenous trees – Golden Daisy Bush
Lindsay Gray on behalf of Hillcrest Conservancy will produce weekly articles regarding the various indigenous small trees that you can plant in your garden.
THE indigenous yellow daisy bush, Euryops pectinatus, or the Golden Daisy Bush, flowers year round.
It is endemic to the sandstone slopes of the Western Cape, but it adapts well to almost every region of South Africa.
The shrub is frost resistant, and requires minimal water in summer, but it does require some water in winter in a summer rainfall area such as KwaZulu-Natal.
ALSO READ: Plant indigenous trees – The Three Cousins
The shrub has blue-green foliage that is divided in an almost fern-like manner. Euryops pectinatus can be grown as a single species along a bank, as a backdrop to other plants or dotted around the garden in combination with other plants in a herbaceous border.
The colour of the foliage looks wonderful with members of the succulent family that has a similar hue to its foliage such as Senecio azoides, Senecio crassulaformus and the delightful ground aloe, Aloe chabaudii.
However, the bright yellow flowers make it the perfect companion to a host of other plants such as the ribbon bush (Hypoestes aristata), the crane flower (Strelitzia reginae), the kingfisher daisy (Felicia amelloides) red-hot pokers (Kniphofia spp.), any of the trailing or bush gazanias… the list is endless.
ALSO READ: Plant indigenous trees: Sunbird bush – A touch of gold
Research tells us that Euryops pectinatus can grow to a height of 1.5m. I have never seen it that tall but I guess a truly mature plant could well reach that height. Mine have been in my garden for three years now and they are still hovering around 800 to 900mm in height.
What I particularly enjoy about this lovely shrub is almost perfectly-rounded shape.
Growing Euryops pectinatus
Euryops pectinatus requires a moderate amount of water and must be watered during the winter months in summer rainfall regions.
Cut off dead flower-heads after flowering and prune the bush back lightly.
The bushes respond well to pruning and may be cut back hard every few years. They may be propagated from seed or by cuttings which strike easily when placed in washed river sand and kept moist.
Contact the Hillcrest Conservancy chairman, George Victor, on 073 901 3902, e-mail georgevic@telkomsa.net or the website www.hillcrestconservancy.co.za or contact Lindsay Gray at info@schoolofgardendesign.com
