Livingstone daisy

Livingstone daisy: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low, creeping to trailing succulent about 10 cm tall and 25 cm wide.

Leaves

Thick, narrow and fleshy, 3–6 cm long, covered in glistening, crystal-like dots that hold water.

Flower

Daisy-like, 3–4 cm, with many narrow petals and often a dark centre. They open only in the sun.

Colour

White, pink, red, orange, yellow and salmon, sometimes bicoloured.

Roots

Shallow and fine; they rot quickly in wet or heavy soil.

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

Why grow it?

• Flowers from June to September with brightly coloured, daisy-like blooms.
• Very drought-tolerant: a good choice for poor, dry soil and hot spots.
• Stays low and spreads as a colourful carpet or ground cover in a rock garden.
• Bees and other insects visit the flowers on sunny days.
• Little work: hardly any water, no feeding and no pruning needed.

Livingstone daisy: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: only then do the flowers open well.
• Poor, free-draining soil: sandy or loamy, acid to chalky. In heavy soil it soon rots.
• Dry: it tolerates drought but not wet soil.
• A warm, open spot, such as a rock garden, a gravel garden or a sunny edge of a patio.
• Space plants 15–20 cm apart; slightly closer in pots and containers.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.1 m tall, 0.25 m wide

Hardiness

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

Goes well with

• Stonecrop: Same dry, sunny position and a lovely contrast in leaf and shape.
• Houseleek: Sturdy rosettes that go well with the glistening leaves.
• Portulaca: A related, drought-loving annual with brightly coloured flowers.
• Gazania: Flowers that also open only in the sun and have the same needs.
• Thyme: A low, aromatic plant for the same poor, sunny soil.

Livingstone daisy: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May–June.

1. Plant out in May–June, once the last night frosts have passed.
2. Harden off home-grown plants first for a week: outside by day, inside at night.
3. Loosen the soil and, on heavy ground, mix plenty of coarse sand or fine grit into the top layer.
4. Set the plants at the same depth as in their pots, 15–20 cm apart.
5. Water once thoroughly when planting, then only during prolonged drought.

Care

Water

Sparingly: only in prolonged drought. Too much water causes rot and fewer flowers.

Feeding

Not needed or very little; in soil that is too rich it grows mostly leaves.

Mulching

A thin layer of fine grit around the plants keeps the foliage dry and prevents rot.

Deadheading

Not necessary, but removing spent flowers can extend flowering a little.

Sun

Give it as much sun as possible: in the evening and in rain the flowers close, which is normal.

Tip: Plant it in poor, sandy soil in full sun, such as a rock garden or gravel edge. Barely water it: the flowers only open in sunny weather.

Livingstone daisy: when to prune it?

When: It does not need pruning.

How:

• Cut off spent flowers and withered stems if you want to keep it tidy.
• Remove rotten or brown parts at once to stop it spreading.
• At the end of the season clear away the whole plant.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow indoors in March–April at about 15–20 °C. Scatter the fine seed on seed compost, press down and barely cover. Prick out when the seedlings are big enough.

Sowing outdoors

In May straight into the ground, thinly in a sunny spot with free-draining soil; then thin to 15–20 cm.

Livingstone daisy: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to 2 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not hardy: it cannot take frost and is grown as an annual here.
• In autumn collect seed from the spent flowers, keep it dry and sow again next spring.
• If you still want to keep it, bring a pot indoors, frost-free and bright, and barely water it.

Diseases and pests

• Rot: The plant goes limp and the stem turns brown at the base. Usually caused by too much water or heavy soil; provide free-draining soil and water less.
• Slugs: They eat young plants after planting out. Hand-pick or put down a slug barrier.
• Aphids: Small insects on the tips. Rinse off with water or let ladybirds clear them.
• Damping off: In seed compost that is too wet the base of the seedlings rots. Sow thinly, use fresh seed compost and water sparingly.

Through the year

• March: Sow indoors at about 15–20 °C.
• April: Keep sowing. Prick out seedlings.
• May: Plant out or sow outdoors in a sunny spot.
• June: Start of flowering. Water sparingly.
• July: Full flower. Water only in prolonged drought.
• August: Flowering. Remove dried-out parts.
• September: Last flowers. Collect seed from spent flowers.
• October: Clear plants away after the first frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The glistening dots on the leaves are bladder-like cells that store water, making the plant look covered in tiny ice crystals.
• It used to be called Mesembryanthemum criniflorum; the French still call it mésembryanthème.
• The flowers only open when the sun shines and close in dull weather and in the evening.