Grey-leaved euryops is an evergreen shrub with silvery, finely cut leaves and bright yellow daisies that bloom almost nonstop in mild climates. It is native only to rocky sandstone slopes in South Africa's Western Cape and is planted in gardens worldwide; in the US it is a garden plant, not a wildflower.
Appearance
- Appearance
- A rounded evergreen shrub usually about 3 ft (1 m) tall and wide, occasionally reaching about 6.5 ft (2 m).
- Leaves
- Gray-green, comb-like leaves 1.5–4 in (4–10 cm) long, densely covered in fine hairs.
- Flowers
- Bright yellow daisies about 2 in (5 cm) across on long stalks held above the foliage. Each flower lasts several days.
- Flowering time
- Blooms over a very long season, almost year-round in mild climates.
- Fruit
- Each small fruit holds a single seed.
Look-alikes
African bush daisy has smooth, hairless green leaves, while grey-leaved euryops looks silvery gray from its dense hairs. The green-leaved cultivar 'Viridis' is much harder to tell apart in photos.
Why they get mixed upBoth are rounded garden shrubs in the same genus with bright yellow daisies. African bush daisy is also sometimes called 'Paris daisy,' a name that more often belongs to a different plant, the marguerite daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens).
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Gardens
- Containers
- Coastal plantings
- Range
- Native only to the Western Cape of South Africa, from the Gifberg to the Cape Peninsula. In the US it is a garden shrub for mild-winter areas; a popular cultivar, 'Viridis', is listed for USDA hardiness zones 8–11.
- Preferred conditions
- In the wild it grows on rocky sandstone slopes.
Growing it
- Care
- Needs full sun and well-drained soil and tolerates drought, salt spray, and salty soils. It is damaged by frost below about 23°F (−5°C). Deadheading keeps it blooming, and trimming the top third once a year keeps it compact.
- Propagation
- Grows from seed or stem cuttings.
Name and classification
- Varieties and forms
- 'Viridis' is a popular cultivar with smooth, bright green leaves instead of gray, hairy ones.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- The genus name Euryops comes from Greek for "large eye," a nod to the flowers, and pectinatus is Latin for "comb-like," likely describing the leaves.
- It has earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
More species to explore
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