Felicia amelloides

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blue daisy

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blue daisy RHS
blue daisy RHS

Other common names

blue daisy, blue marguerite, Cape aster, flower of happiness, happy flower

Synonyms

Felicia capensis
Aster amelloides
Felicia coelestis
Aster coelestis

Award of Garden Merit
Bedding
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A bushy sub-shrub, to 60cm tall, that is often grown as a bedding plant. It has ovate, rough, hairy leaves, up to 3cm long, and in summer and autumn, small, daisy-like flowers with bright yellow centres surrounded by sky-blue ray florets are borne on leafless stems

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Felicia can be annuals, perennials or evergreen sub-shrubs, with linear to obovate leaves and daisy-like flower-heads, mostly with blue-violet rays and yellow disk florets
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
South Africa (Cape)

How to Grow

Cultivation

Drought-resistant; grow in poor to moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. Under glass grow in peat-free, loam-based potting compost in full light with low humidity and good ventilation. Water sparingly in winter

Propagation

Propagate by seed or stem-tip softwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Garden edging
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pinch back young shoots to encourage bushiness, remove spent flowers to prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and glasshouse red spider mite under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free