Osteospermum/cape daisy sunny felix

I bought one of these today and it says on the label 'lasts for one season'. Now, I'm sure I've seen perennial osteospermums? Or am I getting mixed up?

 

They are perennials, they should come back next year unless we have a real bad winter.

 

hi daisybelle
i'm a beginner here myself and i'v got
osteospermums (cape daisy)as long as i
cut them back in winter they come every
spring good luck
dave (david22)

 

Thanks! That's great news. Just got to decide where to put it now...

 

I find there tends to be two main types, those sold as bedding plants for summer use, which are not hardy, and the tougher spreading kinds that have a more limited colour range, but are hardy.

 

There are true annual Osteopermum, but I think most on sale are perennial. One problem I find these days is that labels often don't tell the whole truth. They tend to just say Osteopermum, without saying what species, but then they are usually hybrids anyway. They also often say annual, when the plant is really a tender perennial.

I am led to understand, Pete, that the species such as jacundum are pretty hardy, but much of what you see on sale are hybrids, which are not as hardy.

 

I have been trying to unravel it all Peter, but cant quite get to the bottom of it.
There seems to have been some name changes with plants such as dimorthotheca barberiae now being called osteospermum jacundum.
Its all a bit beyond me, all I can say is I have spreading white flowered and pink flowered plants that are hardy perrenials, but I have bought those bedding plant types that die at the first frost, but as you say tender perrenials.

 

Hmm, I'm just going to have to plant it and see aren't I? It's not exactly the same colour as any I have seen as perennials. White petals with a dark purple eye and bright orange stamans as the flowers in the centre open.
Looking around for information, I think the 'sunny' part of the name is given to a group of them?

 

It says here, under the 'information' tab, http://www.pwcertified.com/grower/plants/detail.cfm?photoID=8564&doSearch=1&searchAttribute=&searchGenus=Osteospermum&searchProgram= that's it's hardy to -4C. Fingers crossed, 'cos it's lovely

 

Hi, daisybelle. We even get frost here and go below zero centigrade and I can assure you there is no shortage of it growing here, cultivated and wild. Admittedly we don't have long cold spells, six-eight weeks maximum, with frost only occasionally.

I think it may go back to the ground but perhaps the roots will survive with you.

Good luck!

 

I have just been to Newby Hall today, and had a good chat to a young gardener, who seemed to really know his stuff. Amongst other things, I asked about the hardiness of Osteos, and he said that nearly everything you get these days is a hybrid. He said that the hardy Osteos are the low growing mat forming ones, and that the taller bushy ones are not so hardy. Makes sense.

 

Sounds right to me Peter.