Dimorphotheca fruticosa

Dimorphotheca fruticosa is a mat-forming, evergreen, perennial herb. Common names of blue-eyed daisy, trailing African daisy and rankbietou in Afrikaans are in use. The earlier botanical name was Osteospermum fruticosum.

The leaves are obovate, fleshy and tend to be erect. The leaves are positioned alternately and their margins are entire or very finely toothed.

The daisy florets are white, the disc is dark blue and the flower is close to 5 cm across. Flowers are closed at night and on overcast days. It blooms in midwinter and spring.

These plants grow from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

The habitat is coastal dunes and rocks. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

The plant can be grown from seed or cuttings as container plants or as a ground cover in full sun and well composted soil. Winter watering and dry summers will suit, but not frost (Manning, 2009; http://toptropicals.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).