Osteospermum: description, planting and care

Today, a huge selection of plants suitable for decorative cultivation in order to decorate territories is presented to amateur gardeners and landscape designers. Among the variety available, it is worth highlighting osteospermum, represented by a large number of species and varieties.

In regions with a mild climate and in the middle lane in the open field, you can increasingly find a culture that has several names. Osteospermum or "African chamomile", "Cape daisy" is a flower that stands out for its high decorative appeal. Externally, the plant has some similarities with chamomile, however, unlike the latter, osteospermum blooms with rather large buds, which have a different color of petals, depending on the species and varietal affiliation. Today in the garden you can find varieties with multi-colored and monochromatic petals; there are also cultures that look quite exotic due to their petals rolled into a tube, with a slightly open edge. Taking into account the huge selection of varieties found in the garden, the inflorescences of the plant can be simple and double, there are also semi-double species.

Osteospermum is a bush that grows to a height of 90-100 centimeters in its natural habitat. In ornamental gardening, it is possible to grow a flowering plant with a height of about 50-60 centimeters.

Osteospermum enters the flowering phase in June, decorating the flowerbed before the onset of cold weather. The diameter of the buds varies between 2.5-7.5 centimeters. They open only in sunlight, which serves as a kind of protection for pollen from a flower. Each inflorescence retains its freshness for 5-7 days, after which it fades, and new flowers open in its place or nearby.

Also, the culture is distinguished by the ability to suspend its development during periods of severe drought and heat in order to maintain the viability of already formed parts. No action is required from the gardener during this period, since such a reaction will pass by itself as soon as the air temperature in the garden becomes acceptable for the flower.

The genus osteospermum includes annual and perennial grasses and shrubs from the Asteraceae family. Features of the life cycle of the presented crops directly depend on the climatic nuances of the region in which this or that variety is grown.

According to the accepted classification, there are about 70 species of osteospermum and its hybrid varieties in nature. Among the most demanded representatives of the genus are the following.

A type of shrub, reaching a height of one meter. The shoots of the plant are branched, such a crop is grown as an annual. The green mass is of medium size, there are notches along the edges of the leaves. The color of the inflorescences will mostly be white, on the basis of usually visually noticeable veins that frame the core of a dark color.This species has varieties of hybrid origin. Among them, the following are very popular:

• Zulu - culture with yellow inflorescences;
• "Bamba" - the flower can be white or have a purple color;
• "Sky and Ice" - an attractive plant with white petals and a blue core;
• Congo - the hybrid blooms with pink or purple inflorescences;
• "Starry Ice" - a variety with petals that are blue on the inside, white on the outside.

Growing such a plant will allow you to have a culture in the garden, about 50-70 centimeters high. The flower is in demand due to the peculiarities of the inflorescences, to change the color of its petals as it blooms. Among the varieties bred artificially in ornamental gardening, the following are in demand:

• "Buttermilk" - initially the buds will be yellow, then the shade changes to bronze;
• "Sparkler" - the plant blooms blue with white buds;
• "Lady Leitrim" - the culture has a dark core and lilac petals.

This variety includes varieties obtained artificially by breeders. A notable feature of ornamental shrubs is the development of a large number of inflorescences on one plant. Among the varieties enjoying well-deserved attention, it is worth noting:

• "Akila white" - blooms with large white buds;
• "Passion" - the flower forms simple inflorescences, the color of which varies from white to lilac or pink, with longitudinal lines;
• "Double parple" - purple flower with tubular petals.

In addition to the above representatives of the genus, gardeners often cultivate ampelous varieties, and new varieties are acquired to decorate flower beds and front gardens, such as "Eclonis white", "Akilla lavender shades", "Mix of colors".

To have an attractive flowering shrub in the garden, when choosing a rooting site, you should give preference to well-lit areas. In shaded flower beds, the inflorescences will begin to shrink at the flower, the plant itself will develop extremely slowly. Also, places in a draft should be avoided, crops should be reliably protected from strong winds.

It is most correct to root osteospermum in light and loose soil, with neutral or weak acidity.

Planting of osteospermum seedlings is carried out at the end of May. For rooting of young cultures, holes are prepared in the size of 20-22 centimeters. Planting is carried out by the transshipment method, since for the good development and adaptation of the plant it is important to keep the root system intact. If you plan to grow several flowering shrubs in the garden, you need to plant them nearby in 10-15 centimeters increments. After planting the crops, the soil around the plants should be well tamped, irrigated, and also covered with a layer of mulch near the root system, which will help retain moisture in the ground. As a rule, seedling osteospermum will bloom in June-July.

With regard to agrotechnical measures, "Cape daisy" will not cause much trouble to the grower. To enjoy a blooming culture, it is enough to complete a number of mandatory works presented below.

Gardeners should be aware that osteospermum is a drought-resistant plant, so the shrub will not need frequent and abundant watering. For the flower, there will be enough moisture, carried out as the soil dries, combining these activities with loosening the soil.

Plant care also provides for the introduction of additional fertilizing. For these purposes, mineral organic complexes are used, which have a positive effect on flowering.

Osteospermum is a thermophilic culture that reacts very sensitively to negative air temperatures, so shrubs should not be left outdoors for the winter, even in regions with mild and warm winters. However, provided that the temperature in winter does not drop to negative levels, the flower can maintain its vitality. Most often, gardeners do not try to preserve the "Cape daisy" in winter, so for the next season in the spring they prefer to plant a new plant instead of the utilized old one.

If there is a desire to grow a perennial, then with the arrival of autumn, osteospermum is dug out of the ground, transplanted into a pot or flowerpot, arranging a culture for wintering in a cool room at home, trying to maintain the air temperature in the range from +7 to +14 degrees.

The culture deserves special attention during flowering. Gardeners are advised to promptly remove wilted or dry buds from the flower. These works will increase the decorative attractiveness of the shrub, in addition, in varieties with abundant formation of inflorescences, wilted flowers will not interfere with the blooming of fresh ones.

"African chamomile" does not require frequent shaping of the bush, but the crop may need to be sanitized in autumn or spring. At this time, it is necessary to remove broken shoots, branches with defects or parts of the plant that interfere with group flower plantings. but in the bud-laying phase, such work is contraindicated.

Osteospermum can be grown at home not only as a temporary overexposure in winter. The flower, with proper care, is able to develop and bloom at home in a pot.

Florists practice several effective methods of independently obtaining a new plant. Possible breeding options for "African chamomile" are described below.

If the perennial hibernates indoors in autumn, then the gardener in February is recommended to cut off the lateral shoots from the culture, the length of which should be within 6-10 centimeters. For work, you must use a sharp disinfected knife. The cut points in the mother culture and cuttings are treated with coal powder; if there is green mass at the ends, it is recommended to remove it. Then the collected material is placed in a container with warm water for sprouting roots. Any growth accelerator that is added to the liquid can be used to stimulate. The water in the container must be changed regularly, the temperature in the room must be maintained in the range of + 20-22 degrees.

After the roots appear, the petioles are planted in pots with a special soil mixture. It is most correct to cut and germinate osteospermum in a substrate consisting of humus, fine sand and garden soil.

Some gardeners practice the cuttings method, skipping the intermediate stage of keeping the separated parts of the flower in water, rooting shoots directly into a container with earth. The flower thus multiplies only if a mini-greenhouse is created with good illumination, moderate moisture and regular ventilation.

To grow a crop from seeds, planting material is collected or purchased. Selected seeds for seedlings must be rooted in the ground in March-April. Before deepening them, the seeds are kept in a damp cloth or in a container with a little water.

If you collect or purchase fresh seeds, it is recommended to germinate them in special peat tablets or in ordinary plastic containers. To avoid damage to young crops when planting together, each flower should initially be planted in a separate container.

The seeds must be deepened no more than 5 mm into the ground, after which the soil must be moistened with a spray bottle, and a mini-greenhouse must be made using any covering material that allows light to pass through. Seedling care comes down to regular airing and moisturizing. The optimum air temperature in a room with osteospermum seedlings will be + 20-22 degrees. The film can be removed from the plants when the first shoots appear on the surface. Further, young crops should grow in a well-lit area. As soon as the plants get stronger, they must be gradually accustomed to fresh air, placing containers with young flowers outside for a while, gradually increasing its duration. Landing in open ground can be carried out in the spring, when the temperature outside will not drop below +15 degrees, even at night.

Osteospermum can also be propagated by dividing an adult culture into several parts. To do this, you need to dig a flower out of the ground, divide it into the required number of parts containing the roots. New crops can be dug into the soil immediately.

Even with proper care, the plant cannot be completely protected from the attacks of insect pests. Among the pests that pose a danger to the "Cape chamomile", it is worth highlighting aphids and thrips. To destroy insects, flower growers are advised to resort to treating plants with insecticidal compounds. Among the effective means are "Aktara", "Fitoverm", "Karbofos".

Errors regarding waterlogging of the plant can lead to the spread of fungal diseases. To destroy pathogenic microflora, it is necessary to use fungicides, which can be purchased at specialized stores. The drugs with high efficiency include "Abiga-Pin", "Fitosporin", "Fundazol".

"Cape daisy" is quite popular in floriculture. Most often, the culture can be found when decorating border flower beds; shrubs are also used as flowering crops in landscape design as ornamental plants for the foreground in group plantings. Osteospermum can be found in rocky gardens and rock gardens.

Some gardeners prefer to plant the crop in large flowerpots or tubs, creating beautiful outdoor arrangements. Tall varieties are suitable for zoning flower plantings. Recommended neighbors for osteospermum include petunia, bells, lavender and forget-me-not. Multicolored inflorescences harmoniously combine with evergreen representatives of ornamental garden fauna, colorful flowers allow you to create attractive compositions with plants forming a green carpet in front gardens and flower beds in public places.

For more on growing osteospermum, see the next video.