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Bitter Gousblom
Arctotis arctotoides
SA tree number
English: Bitter Gousblom, Yellow Arctotis, Butterflower, African Daisy, Trailing Gousblom, Bietou
Afrikaans: Bittergousblom, Botterblom, Bietou, Geelbietou
Xhosa: iXhaphozi, uBushwa, isiGwamba
S. Sotho: Putswa-pududu
Historical scientific names: Arctotis calendulacea, Arctotis flaccida, Arctotis scabra, Arctotis staechadifolia, Dimorphotheca calendulacea, Dimorphotheca scabra, Osteospermum arctotoides, Venidium arctotoides, Venidium decurrens, Arctotis spathuligera, Arctotis arctotoides, Arctotis gumbletonii
Arctotis arctotoides, commonly known as Bitter Gousblom or Yellow Arctotis, is a very hardy and adaptable indigenous perennial groundcover or sprawling shrub. It's well-loved for its cheerful yellow daisy-like flowers and silvery-green foliage, making it a bright addition to gardens.
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Distinguishing features:
Spreading, sprawling, or groundcover habit.
Silvery-green to grey-green leaves, often lobed or toothed, sometimes with a slightly woolly texture.
Bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with a dark central disc, produced in abundance.
Flowers often close in the late afternoon or on overcast days.
Tolerant of a wide range of conditions, including coastal and dry areas.
Overall appearance:
The Bitter Gousblom (Arctotis arctotoides) forms a low-growing, spreading mat of silvery-green foliage, which can quickly cover open areas. In spring and summer, it becomes covered in a cheerful display of bright yellow, daisy-like flowers that bring a splash of sunshine to any garden space.
Height:
Typically grows 15-40 cm tall, sometimes reaching 60 cm when scrambling.
Width:
Can spread extensively, often forming mats of 0.5 to 1.5 metres or more in width.
Leaves:
The leaves are alternate, somewhat variable in shape, ranging from lance-shaped to obovate (spoon-shaped), often deeply lobed or toothed, especially towards the base. They are typically 5-15 cm long and 1-4 cm wide. The colour is silvery-green to grey-green, often covered with fine, soft hairs, giving them a slightly woolly or velvety texture.
Flowers:
The flowers are typical daisy-like composite heads, about 4-7 cm in diameter. They have vibrant bright yellow ray florets (the "petals") and a contrasting dark purplish-brown to black central disc. The flower heads are borne singly on long, slender stalks (peduncles) above the foliage. A characteristic feature is that the flowers often close in the late afternoon or on overcast days. Arctotis arctotoides flowers are hermaphroditic, containing both male and female reproductive parts within the flower head.
Flowering season:
In South Africa, it has a long flowering season, primarily from late winter through spring and summer (around July to April), with peak flowering often occurring in spring (September to November).
Fruits:
The fruit is an achene (a small, dry, single-seeded fruit), often hairy, which aids in dispersal.
Seeds:
The seeds are small, dark, and often have a pappus (a tuft of hairs) or are covered in woolly hairs, which helps them to be dispersed by wind.
Stem:
The stems are green and somewhat woody at the base but not bark-covered.
Thorns:
None.
Roots:
It has a fibrous root system with adventitious roots developing along the sprawling stems, which helps it to anchor and spread effectively.
Soil type:
Highly adaptable and thrives in well-drained soils, including sandy, loamy, and even light clay soils. It tolerates nutrient-poor conditions but benefits from some organic matter.
Aspect:
Requires full sun for best flowering and compact growth, but can tolerate very light partial shade. It is highly drought-tolerant once established and copes well with coastal conditions. It is moderately frost-tolerant.
Ediblity:
Not considered edible for humans. While some traditional uses for other plants called "bietou" exist, Arctotis arctotoides is not typically consumed.
Toxicity:
No specific toxicity is widely reported. As with any wild plant, it is not recommended for consumption.
Uses:
Primarily cultivated as an ornamental groundcover, border plant, or for mass planting in gardens, particularly in dry or water-wise landscapes. Its spreading habit makes it excellent for covering banks, rockeries, and large open areas. It is also suitable for coastal gardens due to its salt and wind tolerance. Its flowers attract pollinators.
Ecology:
The bright yellow, daisy-like flowers attract a variety of generalist insect pollinators, including bees, flies, and butterflies. Its spreading growth habit helps to stabilise soil, reduce erosion, and suppress weeds. It can provide some cover for small ground-dwelling invertebrates.
Distribution and habitat:
Arctotis arctotoides is indigenous and widespread across a large part of South Africa, particularly in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo provinces, extending into Lesotho and Eswatini. It naturally occurs in a wide range of habitats, including coastal flats, sandy areas, grasslands, and disturbed sites, often in full sun.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Arctotis comes from the Greek words "arktos" (bear) and "otos" (ear), referring to the woolly or hairy achenes (fruits) that sometimes resemble a bear's ear.
The species name arctotoides means "resembling Arctotis," which might seem redundant, but it indicates its strong resemblance to other plants in its genus.
Common names like "Trailing Gousblom" refer to its sprawling habit and the Afrikaans word "gousblom" for marigold or daisy. "Bietou" is a common indigenous name applied to several daisy-like plants.
Historical aspects:
As a widespread indigenous plant, Arctotis arctotoides has long been a natural component of South Africa's diverse landscapes. While not having prominent historical uses like some other medicinal plants, its hardiness and colourful flowers have made it a popular garden subject, especially in the growing trend towards indigenous and water-wise landscaping. Its ease of cultivation and ability to thrive in challenging conditions make it an excellent choice for modern gardens, helping to promote biodiversity by providing an alternative to alien invasive groundcovers.
Interesting facts:
This plant is like a mini-sunshine factory for your garden, with its bright yellow flowers that pop open to greet the day!
It's a bit of a sleepyhead – its flowers often close up in the afternoon or when it's cloudy, like they're having a little nap!
Its leaves have a soft, velvety feel because they're covered in tiny hairs, which helps the plant stay cool and save water.
This plant is a fantastic natural carpet, spreading out to cover the ground and help stop the soil from blowing away – super useful in exposed areas!
Growing tips:
Propagation: Very easy to propagate from cuttings taken from the stems, which root readily. Can also be grown from seed.
Planting: Prefers a full sun position. Plant in well-drained soil. It's very adaptable to different soil types.
Watering: Very water-wise. Water sparingly once established. It is drought-tolerant.
Frost Protection: Moderately frost-tolerant. It can handle light to moderate frosts.
Maintenance: Low maintenance. Can be trimmed back after flowering to encourage bushier growth and a fresh flush of blooms. Deadheading (removing spent flowers) can also encourage more flowers.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
Kikuyu
Cenchrus clandestinus
Plant type:
Ground cover, herbaceous or perennial
Plant family:
Asteraceae (star) - Order: Asterales