Native to South Africa, a Felicia daisy (Felicia amelloides) is a bushy tree with colourful bunches of tiny blossoms. Felicia daisy blossoms have vivid yellow centres and beautiful sky blue petals. The vibrant blue daisy flowers fascinate butterflies. This resilient plant thrives in hot, dry conditions but not in wet soil or high humidity.
Felicia amelloides (Blue Daisy) is a bushy sub-shrub or perennial mainly planted for its spectacular and long-lasting flowers. On leafless stems, these flowers flourish throughout the summer and into the fall. They climb well above the foliage of elliptical, coarse, hairy leaves up to 1 inch in length, visited by bees and butterflies. Blooming usually slows or quits in hot summer climates by mid-summer. Felicia amelloides is a sturdy, incredibly rapid growing, long-flowering, long-lived plant that is weather and drought resistant. It requires just moderate water and little care to thrive. It is one of the most eye-catching garden plants.
Blue Daisy Flower Features
Other Names
Kingfisher Daisy, Cape Aster, Blue Marguerite, Happy Flower, Flower Of Happiness, Blue Felicia Bush, Paris Daisy, and Shrubby Felicia.
Height of the Plant
Maximum: 18” / 45.7 cm in length and spreading out from 4’ to 5’ / 60cm in width
Minimum: 30 cm in length and 30 cm in width
Blooming Period
From late spring until Autumn. They stop blooming in midsummer when temperatures rise.
Fragrance
This flower has no scent.
Sunlight
They prefer full sunlight, but afternoon shade is fruitful in hot and sunny climates.
Care
Blue daisies are extremely easy to care for. They require little attention.
Watering
Water daily, but moderately, particularly during the dry season.
RHS Hardiness
The RHS hardiness rating is H2.
Temperature
The minimum temperature required by them is 1°C.
Drought-Resistant
Well-established tolerance against drought.
Attracts Insects
Insects like small flying insects, butterflies, bees, and wasps are fascinated and attracted towards it.
Attracts Birds
Not only insects but nectar-feeding birds are also attracted to it.
Pot Plant
Given ample sun and drainage holes, it grows well in huge containers.
Blue Daisy Problems
Usually, these beautiful daisy flowers are disease-free. However, keep an eye out for these problems,
Pests
Whiteflies and aphids.
Disease
Cottony soft rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum).
Felicia Daisy Companions
- Following are the companions of Felicia Daisy
- Hemizygia transvaalensis (pink salvia),
- Geranium incanum (carpet geranium),
- P. reniforme (kidney-leaved pelargonium) or Pelargonium crispum (crispy-leaved pelargonium)
- Nylandtia Spinosa (tortoise berry),
- Scabiosa Africana (pincushion).
Uses of Felicia Blue Daisy
It is a versatile garden plant that is frost hardy and is great for
- Containers
- Beds and borders edging
- City gardens
- Mediterranean gardens
- Cottage gardens
- Rock gardens
How Many Plants Do I Need?
Felicia amelloides is a low-growing sub-shrub, making it suitable for smaller gardens and borders. It will reach a height of 3 ft. or more if left unpruned, and can form a dense groundcover. It is hardy in USDA Zones 9-11, but its best location is in a sunny, protected spot. Plant at a minimum in 10 gallons of potting mix, 5 plants per gallon. In late summer or fall, cut back on flowering stems and prune the flowering branches to encourage fall flowering.
Want more garden know-how like this?
The daisy family, Asteraceae, is made up of about 500 species of herbaceous perennials and annuals that grow in almost all parts of the world. You will find these daisies in the wild as well as in your home landscape! It is easy to start from seed or purchase plants from a garden center. Here are some tips to keep them happy and healthy.
How to Harvest Blue Daisy?
Flowers can be cut early to mid-season and kept on the bush for a long time.
How to Propagate the Seed of Felicia Blue Daisy?
Sowing Seeds
Sow seeds in the springtime. Sow 1.5 times deeper than the seed size and spaced 0.5m apart. The time it takes for seeds to germinate is in less than a month.
Cuttings
Use non-flowering stems, cut just below a node, remove bottom leaves, apply growth hormone, and plant in wet soil. Plants should flower sooner as a result of this faster strategy.
Should I start my Blue Eyed Daisy indoors or outdoors?
There is no difference in starting blue eyed daisies between indoor and outdoor plants. This is because they are a cool weather plant. If you keep them in the house, you can place them outside on a porch or patio in the spring. However, keep them in a cool spot and misting with a hand held sprayer every week or so will keep them healthy and happy.
How tall are Felicia?
Felicia is about 24 to 36 inches tall when blooming, although some are more than twice that height. They are sturdy perennials that will grow well in most soils and in almost all regions of the United States. This plant is often used as a cut flower. It is a showy plant and does well for cutting. The flowers are usually a brilliant blue color, with the petals having yellowish-green veining. They bloom from mid-to late spring into the summer.
What is a good location in the garden for Felicia?
Felicia like sun and cool temperatures. They also like being in groups, so planting in clusters is a good idea. For this reason, the best places for this flower are borders or rock gardens where plants can get support from each other. It’s also good to use pebbles, which offer plants a sturdy base on which to root.
Can I plant Blue Eyed Daises in containers?
Yes, you can plant blue eyed daisies in containers. Daisies are considered a low maintenance plant. The plant is drought tolerant. It is a great addition to a rock garden or landscape and is easily moved to a new spot when you move. You can find them at nurseries and garden centers. They like a lot of sunlight and good soil.
How to Grow Felicia Daisy Plants?
Felicia daisies are simplest to grow from spring bedding plants found in garden centres and nurseries. If you can not find that, then follow the steps below to grow blue disc African daisy,
In peat pots or cell packs, start sowing seeds six to eight weeks before the final estimated frost date.
If you live somewhere with cool summers, plant seeds right outside after the last frost.
When the blue daisies are 3” to 4” (8 to 10 cm) tall, thin the seedlings to a spacing of 10” to 12” (25 to 30 cm.).
This is also the perfect time to pinch the top inch of the shoot tips to encourage bushier, fuller development.
How to Take Care of A Blue Daisy Plant?
Despite its frail appearance, Felicia is a hardy, pest-resistant plant that requires very little care. However, one must know how to care for daisy bushes to enjoy the utmost beauty of this beautiful plant; follow the below steps,
Until the roots have developed, provide water to keep the soil mildly damp but not waterlogged.
Only light watering is required once the plant has established itself and is displaying robust new growth.
To saturate the roots, water deeply, then let the soil dry before watering again.
To keep the plant from going to seed and stimulate as many blooms as possible, deadhead the blossoms as soon as they diminish.
When the plant starts to seem tired in midsummer, prune it softly, then cut it down aggressively in late summer for a burst of new shoots.
Try to avoid wet soils. The blue daisy plant thrives easily in well-drained poor soils. However, blue daisies dislike hot and humid summer weather.
Therefore, these Felicia amelloides have tiny daisy-like flowers with vivid yellow centres encircled by sky-blue ray florets. They are long-lasting, sturdy, rapid growing and weather-resistant plants that enhance the beauty of your garden. Blue petals by Felicia attract insects and birds.
Felicia Flower is an evergreen, heavily branching daisy shrub that blooms for a long time. Any peaceful or rocky garden will benefit from the blue Felicia plant bush’s aesthetic charm. It is a versatile and common garden plant that may be utilised for various functions, from decorative uses to stabilise dunes and avoid erosion. However, Felicia daisies can be aggressive, crowding away weaker or more sensitive plants.
