Euryops chrysanthemoides

The Euryops chrysanthemoides is a daisy from the savannah, originally from South Africa, a large bushy perennial appreciated for its endless flowering of a very bright yellow. This large plant, reaching 1 metre (3 feet) when in bloom, produces daisy flowers first in spring, after the cold weather, and then again in autumn, with the return of rain in the Mediterranean area. On the Atlantic coast of our countries, which is more rainy, its flowering will be uninterrupted from spring to the end of summer. Euryops are easy to grow in mild climates and are extremely generous, which should be pruned more or less short at the end of each flowering period: many new shoots are formed on the stems, even lignified ones! 

The Euryops chrysanthemoides, also known as Gamolepis chrysanthemoides, is a shrubby perennial of the asteraceae family, just like sunflowers and chrysanthemums. It is a botanical species native to the western Cape Province (KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Swaziland) in South Africa. This plant often grows on the edge of forests and in ravines, on rocky soil. The plant, composed of upright branching stems, develops into a dense bush, reaching an average height of 90 cm (35in) with a width of 70 cm (28in) for the foliage. Its growth is quite rapid during the first few years. The foliage, evergreen in mild climates, is composed of flexible, finely cut leaves with irregularly toothed edges, of a fairly dark green color. The flowering takes place, depending on the climate, from March to June and then from September to November, or even December, or even all winter if there is no frost. It lasts for about two months, from May to July outside our coastal regions or in a greenhouse. The flowers are solitary heads with a diameter of 3 to 4 cm (1 to 2in), composed of a row of bright yellow ligules surrounding a golden yellow center that turns brown. They are followed by the formation of seeds that easily self-sow in light soil.

Plant Euryops, Helianthus, and Senecio (cineraria, grandiflorus, vira-vira) in a seaside garden, they perfectly withstand wind and sea spray, drought, and appreciate both rocky, slightly chalky soils (which prevail along our Mediterranean coasts) and sandy, humus-rich soils, more common along the Atlantic coast of our country. They are beautiful flowering bushes that are not demanding, generally with very beautiful evergreen foliage and/or generous flowering, which make a mark in the garden and are admired by visitors. Euryops can also be associated with myrtles, cistus, Leptospermum, Grevillea, Melaleuca, Callistemons, and Galvezia speciosa in large evergreen and flowering beds for a good part of spring and summer. They also thrive in large pots on a well-sheltered terrace or balcony. Gardeners in more continental regions, where winters are harsh and humid, should bring them indoors in a slightly heated greenhouse.