Arctotis

( ark - TOH - tiss )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called 'African Daisy' (a name which actually refers to a number of plants hailing from South Africa), this genus of flowering annuals and perennials (in mild weather areas) needs full sun and moderate water. Leaves are lobed and wooly, and flowers usually have a contrasting circle of color around the central eye. Flowers tend to close up in the late afternoon and in dull weather, in response to lower light conditions.

Arctotis Species and Varietals

The genus Arctotis is a member of the plant family Asteraceae, and includes just under 70 species. These flowers grow in all zones with a few exceptions. For more information, see the species descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Arctotis acaulis
This perennial grows best in zones 5-9 and 14-24. The specific epithet 'aucaulis' refers to the fact that the flowers produced are apparently stemless. Velvety gray leaves form a base clump with a spreading habit to 1 foot tall. Yellow flowers have purple-black centers. Varietal 'Big Magenta' (pictured) has purple-red flowers.

Arctotis arctotoides
This species is native to Lesthoto, Namibia, and South Africa and produces small yellow-orange flowers. It is used in many locations around the globe as a fast-growing groundcover.

Arctotis breviscapa
Annual with brown-centered orange-yellow flowers.

​Arctotis fastuosa (Venidium fastuosum)
Annual plant with a bushy growing habit to 2 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. Gray green leaves are slightly hairy, and flowers are white with a yellow ring around a deep blue eye. Variety 'Zulu Prince' has an inner ring of yellow and purple surrounds a black eye. This species has naturalized in California.

Arctotis hirsuta (Namaqua Gold, Gousblom)
These flowers grow naturally on sandy or rocky slopes in South Africa, and bloom in springtime in large numbers. Flowers can be orange, cream-colored, or yellow.

​Arctotis hybrids
Most African Daisies sold in commercial nurseries are hybrids, and grow to 1.5 tall and wide. Flowers come in white, purple, pink, red, cream, yellow, and orange and often have dark centers around a central black eye. These will self-sow but seeds will most likely revert to orange flower-colored plants. Survive as perennials in zones 7-9 and 14-24. 

Arctotis stoechadifolia (African Daisy, White Arctotis)
This rare species is only found among sand dunes along the west coast of Cape Province. 

Arctotis venusta (Silver Arctotis, Kusgousblom, Blue-Eyed African Daisy)
This species has naturalized itself in many areas in the United States, including California, and has escaped garden to become a noxious weed in these areas. It serves as a wonderful groundcover, is adaptable to many climates, and is sometimes used to control erosion.

Caring for Arctotis

Plant your Arctotis in full sun exposure; they should be receiving at least 6-8 hours of direct sun each day. These flowers should be set out in cold-winter areas in springtime for a summer bloom. In areas with milder winters, plant flowers in fall or winter for bloom from spring to early summer. Ensure that soil has great drainage before planting to avoid issues with root rot. Although these plants are drought-tolerant once mature, they will need regular waterings during their growing season and as they are getting established. Although these plants do prefer warm climates, these plants will suffer in extreme heat and humidity. They will also need protection in areas that have frost conditions; provide protection from freezing temperatures to avoid damaging the plant. These plants are not heavy feeders, and do not need to be fertilized. However, if blooms or performance are suffering, it may be advisable to apply a well-balanced, water-soluble fertilizer once a month in the spring and early summertime. Deadhead faded flowers to encourage more blooms to form, and trim back leggy or unwanted growth to maintain a neat appearance.

Propagation

Arctotis can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your plant, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Arctotis by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Arctotis by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows. 
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Caesalpinia plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large and dangle from the branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water 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. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. 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 the same potting medium as described in Step 1. 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) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Arctotis seeds have removable chaff parts that allow the seed to float through the air away from the parent plant.
Arctotis seeds.

Problems and Pests

Arctotis plants are generally pest and disease free, but occasionally will suffer from the following common garden issues if conditions are right:
  • Downy Mildew
  • Fungal Leaf Spots
  • Root Rot
​For more information on these issues, including how to solve them when they pop up, consult the following links:
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Gallery

Arctotis acaulis 'Big Magenta'.
​Arctotis fastuosa alba 'Zulu Prince'
Arctotis is planted here with Sedum, Cordyline, and Liriope.
Here, Arctotis flowers are planted in a bed alongside Knifofia and grasses.

Videos

How to propagate and care for African Daisy.
See an African Daisy that is taking over a garden.
See these flowers in all of their glory in bloom!
How to Grow these garden beauties.

Resources

How to Plant and Grow African Daisy
Arctotis Plant Growing and Care Guide for Gardeners
How to Grow and Care for African Daisies
Arctotis (African Daisy)
Arctotis African Daisy - Tips for Growing Actotis Daisies
Wikipedia: Arctotis
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 166 - 167, Arctotis
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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