Anacyclus pyrethrum depressus

( an - uh - SYE - klus     pye - REH - thrum      de - PRESS - us )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of flowering plants, commonly called Mount Atlas Daisy, is native to North Africa and Spain. It forms a dense, spreading mat of grey-green leaves. Flowers bloom in summer with yellow centers and white rays that are red-pink on the undersides. Great for sunny, dry, hot rock gardens, these are very drought-tolerant plants. They can freeze in severe cold weather or rot in cold, wet and heavy soil. They also dislike humidity. It is not a long-lived plant, but will reseed freely. Mount Atlas Daisy grows in zones 2-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map​

Caring for Anacyclus Pyrethrum Depressus

Mount Atlas Daisy is a very easy plant to care for and can grow in any soil as long as it is well-draining; they even do well when grown in rocks. They enjoy garden spots where they receive full sun and can be planted anytime spring through fall, and can also be used as a container plant. To increase blooms on the plant, you can fertilize during its flowering period with a 5-10-5 fertilizer. New plants should receive water once a day for a few weeks, but once these plants are established they need little water. These plants should be watered at their bases to avoid issues like mold growing on the leaves and flowers. The only real pruning that needs to happen for these plants is deadheading, which will encourage more blooms to pop. Trimming off old flowers will also discourage the free-sowing habit of this plant and control its spread.

Propagation

Mount Atlas Daisy can be propagated via seeds or volunteer seedlings. To propagate your plant, follow the instructions below.

Propagating Mount Atlas Daisy by Seed
  1. Gather your materials. To propagate by seed, you will need a pot or tray filled with well-draining potting soil, a spray bottle and a fork.
  2. Harvest your seeds. You'll need to allow your plants flowers to come to seed and catch them before they drop. This will occur in late summertime.  Harvest as many as you can, and plant all of them in your tray. They will probably not all sow, and the more seeds you plant, the more chances you will have to get a successful propagated plant. Place your seeds on top of the soil in your tray or pot.
  3. Barely cover the seeds with potting soil and water by spraying the  with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with potting soil. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight). Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home in your garden.
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Propagating Mount Atlas Daisy by Volunteer
  1. Volunteer seedlings are likely to pop up around your Mount Atlas Daisy if you do not deadhead your flowers after they fade. If you see these popping up, you can remove them and repot or replant them wherever you'd like. To propagate your plant via volunteer seedlings, you'll need a fork or garden shovel, potting soil, and a pot (if you won't be replanting it immediately in your garden).
  2. Dig up your volunteer Mount Atlas Daisy using your fork or garden shovel, being careful to not damage the roots. Then, either in your prepared pot or a prepared spot in your garden, replant it.

Problems and Pests

These plants are generally hardy to pests and diseases, though they can get attacked by aphids. For more information about this issue and how to eradicate it, see the links below.
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Gallery

Mount Atlas Daisies are pinkish red on their undersides. 
These daisy flowers are great in rock gardens.
Mount Atlas Daisy in a container.

Videos

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Resources

Growing Anacyclus in Containers
Mt. Atlas Daisy
Wikipedia: Anacyclus pyrethrum
Mount Atlas Daisy
Plant Profile for Anacyclus pyrethum depressus
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 150, Anaclyclus pyrethrum depressus
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