South Africa Landscape - Star plants from the daisy family

South Africa Landscape highlights the rich diversity of plant life from South Africa’s Cape region, an internationally renowned biodiversity hotspot. The landscape celebrates the two institutions’ shared vision to strengthen cultural understanding and support biodiversity conservation across the world.

Find out more about the species from the daisy family that are displayed in our Landscape below. They include 'Star of the Veldt' (Osteospermum hyoseroides) and blue marguerite (Felicia amelloides).

Blue marguerite

Blue marguerite (Felicia amelloides) is a South African perennial, popularly cultivated for its bright blue flower heads. It is a long-lived member of the daisy family, which can flower throughout the year.

The Living Collections at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place include blue marguerites. They can be seen growing in Kew's Temperate House, in bed number 23. The species is thought to be named after a German official, Herr Felix, who died in 1846.

Discover blue marguerite

'Star of the Veldt'

‘Star of the Veldt’ (Osteospermum hyoseroides) is a South African daisy with scented leaves and striking orange-yellow flower heads with dark centres. The name Osteospermum comes from the Greek osteon (bone) and sperma (seed).

Other common names include Cape daisy and South African daisy. This species is currently being grown from seed at Kew in the behind-the-scenes Decorative Nursery, for use in summer 2010 display bedding.