Arctotis African Daisy Plants
Arctotis Plants: How To Grow & Take Care Of Arctotis African Daisies
Arctotis belongs to the family Asteraceae and are annual and perennial plants. These plants are attractive flowering plants that will suit many garden landscapes. They have daisy-like composite flowers. The flowers will close in during the afternoon and also in dull weather. Nowadays, there are plenty of contrasting cultivars available that are made for garden use. The Arctotis flowers come in a wide variety of shades of yellow, pink, and red, white, gold shades and sometimes are blue eyed. They are suited to grow and be used in gardens as container and bedding plants.
More about Arctotis
The Arctotis is believed to have originated from South Africa. These ornamental plants are part of the daisy family and are fast growing. They need plenty of space to grow as they form an attractive looking carpet. The arctotis has green grey foliage that is decorated with bright coloured flowers in spring and early summer and can spot flower throughout the year. The leaves of arctotis can reach to a height of 10 to 15 cm that have a wavy edge. The plant will grow at least a metre wide and is very drought and frost hardy and will grow in full sun all day every day. The upper surface of the leaves is grey green sometimes silver grey in colour depending on the cultivar, and the under surface is felted and white. The stem and the leaves have small white hairs. You will find single daisy like flowers 4cm in diameter in bloom on long stems around 16cm long. The centre of the petals has bright golden yellow centre edged on a black eye. The undersides of the arctotis flower petal are purplish brown in colour. The flowers last for a few days on the bush and can stay fresh in vases for just as long. The flowers will always close during a cloudy day and at night and reopen when the sun shines. This plant will complete its life cycle in one year or a bit more.
How to grow Arctotis From Seed?
The Arctotis will thrive in the sun and love to grow in warm and full sunlight areas. The seeds of this plant will germinate quickly and the plant will start to blossom within 2 to 3 months of sowing the seeds.
- Sow the seeds of the Arctotis plant in pots directly or even on the ground outdoors. It is ideal to sow them during early winter or even during the autumn.
- If you are planting the seeds indoors, then you should cover the pot lightly with rich soil about 6 to 8 weeks before you translate the plants in your garden.
- The seeds will start to germinate about 2 weeks after they are sown.
- Once the seeds grow, it is time for them to be shifted to a location in the garden where they will receive full sun most of the time. Ensure they are planted in well-drained soil.
- Add a general purpose fertiliser to the soil when transferring the seedlings.
- Water them the plants when it is needed. They are tough plants so you can allow the soil to dry out before watering.
Care for Arctotis Plants
Make sure that you fertilise the growing flowers once every month using an organic or general purpose fertiliser. Pull off the weeds that grow in the area where the Arctotis plants are growing. Remove all the dying blooms to make the arctotis plant look attractive. You should cut back the flowers after the blooming season has stopped in order to encourage better flowering the next season and to make them grow as perennials.
