Swan River daisy

Swan River daisy: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Loose, rounded, slightly trailing mound 20–30 cm high and as wide, with fine, branching stems.

Leaves

Finely pinnate with narrow segments; fresh green, light and airy.

Flower

Daisy flower heads 2–3 cm across, with narrow ray florets around a yellow or dark centre, from June to September.

Colour

Blue, violet, lilac, pink and white; often sold as a mixture.

Roots

Fine and shallow: in a pot the plant dries out quickly.

Flowering: June–September · Sowing: March–May · Plants: May · Pruning: July

Why grow it?

• Flowers for four months, from June to September.
• Fine, airy foliage and a soft, loose habit: a lovely filler between sturdier summer bedding plants.
• Ideal for containers, hanging baskets, edgings and a sunny rock garden.
• Bees and hoverflies are drawn to the small open flowers.
• Easy and cheap to grow from seed.

Swan River daisy: where does it grow best?

• Full sun; in shade it flowers poorly and flops.
• Light, well-drained soil: sand or loam, acid to neutral, preferably not chalky.
• Moderately moist: do not let it dry out, but avoid wet feet.
• Sheltered from strong wind and heavy rain, which flatten the fine stems.
• Plant 20–25 cm apart; slightly closer in a container or hanging basket.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.3 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Frost tender: plant out after the last frost (mid-May)

Goes well with

• Verbena: Colourful flower clusters in the same sunny container.
• Lobelia: A low blue or white edging; also likes lightly moist compost.
• Pelargonium: Sturdy red or pink flowers, with Swan River daisy as an airy filler.
• Sweet alyssum: A white, scented edging in front of the blue flowers.
• Bidens: Yellow stars that go well with blue and purple.

Swan River daisy: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May.

1. Sow indoors in March–April at 18–20 °C and cover the fine seed only very thinly. It germinates in 1–3 weeks.
2. Prick the seedlings out into small pots and pinch out the tips when they are 5–8 cm tall, for a bushier plant.
3. In May, harden the young plants off outdoors during the day and plant out after the last frost. Sowing in situ is also possible in May.
4. Plant 20–25 cm apart, at the same depth as in the pot, in well-drained soil.
5. Water in well and keep the soil lightly moist for the first few weeks.
6. In pots and containers, use compost mixed with a little sand or perlite, in a container with a drainage hole.

Care

Water

Keep the soil lightly moist; check pots almost daily in summer. Avoid wet feet.

Feeding

In containers, a little liquid feed every two weeks. In the open ground, some compost at planting time is enough.

Deadheading

Remove faded flowers regularly and it will keep flowering.

Cutting back

After the first flush, usually in July, cut it back by about a third.

Support

In an open spot, a few thin twigs between the plants keep them upright after rain.

Tip: Cut it back by a third in July once the first flush is over and give a little liquid feed: two to three weeks later it will flower again until September.

Swan River daisy: when to prune it?

Pruning months: July.

When: Real pruning is not needed. After the first flush, usually in July, cut it back lightly for a fresh round of flowers.

How:

• Cut the plant back by about a third with scissors, just above a leaf.
• Remove faded flowers regularly throughout the summer.
• Pinch out the tips of young plants once, so they become bushier.
• After cutting back, water and give a little liquid feed; it will flower again within two to three weeks.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed indoors

Sow in March–April at 18–20 °C, only very thinly covered. Prick out as soon as the seedlings can be handled.

Seed outdoors

Sow in situ in May in fine, moist soil and thin later to 20–25 cm. Flowering then starts a little later.

Swan River daisy: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to 0 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not hardy: it cannot take frost and dies in autumn.
• Pull the plants up after the first night frost and put them on the compost heap.
• Sow again in March–April for the next season.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs: They strip young plants after planting out. Plant out only sturdy plants and pick off slugs in the evening.
• Aphids: Small aphids on young shoots. Spray off with water; ladybirds help.
• Grey mould: Grey fluff on flowers and leaves in a wet summer. Cut off affected parts and give the plants space.
• Root rot: The plant wilts although the soil is wet. Ensure good drainage and water less.
• Few flowers: Too much shade, too little water or not cut back. Cut back, water and give some feed.

Through the year

• March: Sow indoors at 18–20 °C.
• April: Sow indoors. Prick out and pinch out tips.
• May: Harden off and plant out after the last frost, or sow in situ.
• June: Flowering begins. Water and feed containers.
• July: After the first flush, cut back by a third.
• August: Flowering. Deadhead and water regularly.
• September: Last flowers. Keep feeding containers.
• October: Clear the plants after the first night frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name Swan River daisy refers to the Swan River near Perth in Western Australia, where the plant grows in the wild.
• The genus name comes from the Greek brachys (short) and kome (hair), after the short bristles on the seeds.
• The species name iberidifolia means ‘with leaves like Iberis’, the candytuft.