The daisy chain
It’s a family affair for the flower with 23,000 species and an abundance of relatives, writes David Overend.
When is a daisy not a daisy? When it’s a lettuce. Confused? There’s no need to be because with more than 1,500 genera and 23,000 species, daisies represent the largest family of flowering plants, and among their relatives are sunflowers, chrysanthemums and even that lettuce.
So every time you try to prise an uninvited daisy from your lawn, just remember that they are not all bad – some, in fact, are treasured plants which can transform a garden.
And so it is with Rhodanthemum hosmariense, a bushy, low-growing shrub with hairy, grey, deeply-lobed leaves roughly 4cm long and bearing numerous (and quite beautiful) white daisy-like flowers, 5cm across highlighted with brown centres.
These blooms start to appear as early as April and can continue for weeks, and, if you deadhead at the right time, produce a second flush in late summer.
Rhodanthemum hosmariense, is native to the Atlas Mountains region of Morocco (and so it is commonly known as the Moroccan Daisy) where it enjoys plenty of sunshine but cold nights and has to endure having its roots in stony ground.
So it’s not a bad choice for an English garden, particularly a gravel garden or rockery, where it can be positioned to get the most of our meagre sunshine.
One of the best examples of the plant is ‘Casablanca’, an evergreen perennial forming a cushion of filigree silver foliage, which, from April onwards, is covered with those dark-eyed white daisies. Bees and butterflies love them, and they are also a decent choice for anyone wanting to bring a bit of the garden into the house.
Deadhead faded flowers to promote more blooms. Regular feeding and watering is essential, but don’t allow plants to become waterlogged. If possible, provide them with a well-drained, sandy soil because although hardy, Morroccan Daisies are susceptible to wet conditions
In autumn, apply a layer of mulch around the base of plants – this will help retain moisture, supply nutrients and suppress weeds. Leave any intact foliage or stems because this will provide more protection when winter bites.
To propagate, take softwood cuttings in spring or early summer.