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Cape Marguerite
Dimorphotheca ecklonis
SA tree number
English: Cape Marguerite, Cape Daisy, Van Staden's River Daisy, Sundays River Daisy, White Daisy Bush, Blue-and-white Daisy Bush, African Daisy
Afrikaans: Kaapse Magriet, Jakkalsbos, Vanstadensrivier Madeliefie, Sondagsrivier Madeliefie
Misapplied or old scientific names: Osteospermum ecklonis
Dimorphotheca ecklonis, often commonly known as Cape Marguerite or Kaapse Magriet, is a popular perennial plant belonging to the daisy family. It's known for its beautiful white daisy-like flowers with a striking dark blue or purple centre, creating a vibrant display, especially in spring.
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Distinguishing features:
Large, white daisy-like flowers with a prominent dark blue or purple centre.
Flowers primarily in spring, but can have some blooms throughout summer.
Leaves are somewhat succulent and often crowded at the ends of branches.
Overall appearance:
A perennial plant, typically growing as a dwarf shrub, erect to decumbent, woody at the base.
Height:
Up to 1 m
Width:
Up to 1 m
Leaves:
Alternately arranged.
Sessile (without a stalk).
Simple, elliptic, and slightly succulent.
Margins are entire to conspicuously dentate (toothed).
Crowded at the ends of the branches.
Lower branches can be quite bare.
Glandular fluffy.
Measures 130 to 250 mm long and 25 to 100 mm wide.
Flowers:
Large flowerheads (capitula) measuring up to 80 mm in diameter.
Borne singly or in a few groups at the end of the branches on short stalks (peduncles).
Ray florets are long, bright white on the upper side and light blue or violet on the lower side.
Disc florets are dark blue or purple.
Flowering season:
Peak flowering is in spring, but some flowers are always present throughout summer.
Fruits:
Cypselae (dry, single-seeded fruits) of the ray florets.
Measures about 7 mm long and 3 mm wide.
Smooth, obovoid, and triangular.
Small wings are present on the three corners, which might assist in wind dispersal.
Stems:
Erect to decumbent, can get woody at the base.
Soil type:
Sandy soil, well-drained. Also tolerates clay and loam.
Aspect:
Full sun, though it will tolerate some shade during the day. Flowers need full sun to open completely.
Edibility: No information found.
Toxicity: Contains hydrocyanic acid, making it poisonous to livestock (e.g., cattle) and pets (e.g., rabbits and rodents).
Uses:
Horticulture: Widely used as an ornamental plant in pots and garden beds. Excellent for mass-planting as a groundcover, border plant, or for lining pathways. Suitable for rock gardens.
Model organism: Useful as a model organism for experiments due to its fast growth and year-round cultivation potential. Can be used as a UV indicator due to its phototropic nature and sensitivity to radiation.
Ecology:
Butterflies are attracted to the flowers and are considered pollinators.
Fruits have no special adaptations for long-distance dispersal, and seedlings are often found near parent plants.
Distribution and habitat:
Endemic to a small area in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Found around the Humansdorp, Port Elizabeth, and Uitenhage districts.
Grows naturally in sandy soil on steep slopes or at the base of cliffs.
Found on wet grass and in riverbeds at altitudes up to 300 m.
Prefers subtropic biomes.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Dimorphotheca comes from Greek words 'di' (two), 'morpho' (shape), and 'theca' (fruit), referring to the two different kinds of seeds produced by the ray and disc florets in some species.
The species name ecklonis honours Christian Friedrich Ecklon, a Danish botanical collector who explored the Cape flora in the early 1800s.
It was at one stage called Osteospermum ecklonis, but research has clarified its placement within the genus Dimorphotheca.
Historical aspects: Introduced into cultivation in Europe in the late 1800s.
Interesting facts:
This daisy is a bit of a chameleon when it comes to its scientific name! It's been known as both Osteospermum ecklonis and Dimorphotheca ecklonis. Plant scientists just can't make up their minds, but it's still a beauty!
While it looks innocent, this pretty plant has a secret: it's poisonous to some animals, so make sure your pets don't have a nibble!
If you want to see its glorious flowers fully open, make sure it gets plenty of sun – it's a real sun-worshipper!
Growing tips:
Plant in full sun for best flowering.
Prefers well-drained, sandy soil.
Can tolerate some drought once established.
Fast-growing and relatively frost-hardy.
Propagate from seeds or cuttings (softwood in late spring, semi-ripe in late summer).
Cut back plants after the second year to keep them tidy, or replace with new plants.
Toxicity:
Contains hydrocyanic acid, making it poisonous to livestock (e.g., cattle) and pets (e.g., rabbits and rodents).
Uses:
Horticulture: Widely used as an ornamental plant in pots and garden beds. Excellent for mass-planting as a groundcover, border plant, or for lining pathways. Suitable for rock gardens.
Model organism: Useful as a model organism for experiments due to its fast growth and year-round cultivation potential. Can be used as a UV indicator due to its phototropic nature and sensitivity to radiation.
Ecology:
Butterflies are attracted to the flowers and are considered pollinators.
Fruits have no special adaptations for long-distance dispersal, and seedlings are often found near parent plants.
Distribution and habitat:
Endemic to a small area in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Found around the Humansdorp, Port Elizabeth, and Uitenhage districts.
Grows naturally in sandy soil on steep slopes or at the base of cliffs.
Found on wet grass and in riverbeds at altitudes up to 300 m.
Prefers subtropic biomes.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Dimorphotheca comes from Greek words 'di' (two), 'morpho' (shape), and 'theca' (fruit), referring to the two different kinds of seeds produced by the ray and disc florets in some species.
The species name ecklonis honours Christian Friedrich Ecklon, a Danish botanical collector who explored the Cape flora in the early 1800s.
It was at one stage called Osteospermum ecklonis, but research has clarified its placement within the genus Dimorphotheca.
Interesting facts:
This daisy is a bit of a chameleon when it comes to its scientific name! It's been known as both Osteospermum ecklonis and Dimorphotheca ecklonis. Plant scientists just can't make up their minds, but it's still a beauty!
While it looks innocent, this pretty plant has a secret: it's poisonous to some animals, so make sure your pets don't have a nibble!
If you want to see its glorious flowers fully open, make sure it gets plenty of sun – it's a real sun-worshipper!
Growing tips:
Plant in full sun for best flowering.
Prefers well-drained, sandy soil.
Can tolerate some drought once established.
Fast-growing and relatively frost-hardy.
Propagate from seeds or cuttings (softwood in late spring, semi-ripe in late summer).
Cut back plants after the second year to keep them tidy, or replace with new plants.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
Common name
Scientific Name
Plant type:
Plant type
Plant family:
Plant family (derivation)