Flower Identity

Hi Folks, New to this site so if my image does not appear be gentle on me.

If image is present could someone please tell me the name of this plant. I have it growing in my garden and loved it, lovely foliage colour and flower display. Unfortunately it has died back, hoping it is just down to real bad weather up this way. Want name to find out how to look after it properly

 

Hi Moonshine. Don't know what they are possibly a lily of some sort! Strangely enough I haave the same flowers as background on my computer screen!

 

This was a picture I stumbled across on a web page. Will try and post more

 

Hello Moonshine17c and welcome to GC.

It looks like an Osteopernum to me. Did it have a trailing/creeping habit and fleshy leaves? The petals are often darker on the underside, even the white ones are purplish underneath. Here are some of mine ...



Because of my climate, they are a perennial with me and bloom most of the year. However, I think with your climate you will have to treat them as an annual and replace them every year, but they are readily available in all garden centres in a variety of colours.

 

Thanks LoL. I have added this other picture, was in Jersey and it was these that reminded me of mine back home.
Mine have only recently died down. Will read up on Osteopernum and confirm and find out a bit more. Thanks again

 

Hi Moonshine and welcome. I would agree with what LoL said. It looks like Osteopermum. Some of the species, ie naturally occuring ones, are reasonably hardy. But the chances are that yours were bought at a garden centre and are hybrids, ie man-made crossbreeds, which are better plants but not so hardy.

You can keep them overwinter, if you protect them. I have several in pots that I bring into a shed over winter, and they come back next year. An alternative is to take a cutting in late summer and to overwinter it on a windowsill.

 

they are almost certainly Osteospermum and this is what it needs:-
Aspect= Must have full,baking sun for best results.

site= is not fussy about soil but it must be very well drained. a sheltered spot with the sun beating down all day is ideal. Plants also perform well in containers amd these should be sited in full sun facing south if possible. Use multipurpose compost.

feeding= water well to establish and then water only in long dry spells of hot dry weather. Extra feeding is unnecessary unless in containers when a liquid feed once a month will surfice.

Problems= aphids can attack the leaves,flower stalks and buds so choose a spray with permethrin and wet both sides of the leaves.

season=Flowers appear from early summer onwards with a peak later on when temperatures reach their highest.

General= After the main flowering give the plants an overall clipping to tidy them up and maintain compact growth. Lift and pot favourite plants and keep frost free over the winter.

 

Thanks folks for the help. I think they are a cracking looking plant. Will need to grow more this year and protect them over the winter. Will try and salvage what I have though, no harm in trying

 

Damn - finally one where I know the answer and someone got in before me. Ah well - fastest finger first and all that.

Craig

 

As someone who has them everywhere, I agree with what Barra says ... they MUST have sunshine ... they actually close when the sun is not out. They are perhaps difficult to identify when they are in bud form as the photo above depicts unless you know them well.

I will add they tolerate all sorts of neglect as they have to in places like here where they just grow on the roadsides. They can be weedlike here and I actually uproot them by the handfulls and a wheelbarrow full will be dumped at any given time. Sorry folks. :(

There are some wonderful hybrids out now ... besides the common white and purple there are yellows, oranges, pinks ... certainly a wonderful splash of colour in a sunny corner in any garden.

Craig, you just were a wee bit late ... :love;