Groundcover
Trailing Gazania
Gazania rigens var. leucolaena · Asteraceae
Also called: Trailing African Daisy, Treasure Flower
Trailing Gazania (Gazania rigens var. leucolaena) is a low-water groundcover well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a moderate to fast growth rate.
Trailing Gazania at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun; tolerates very hot, reflected sun. Flowers close in shade and on cloudy days.
- Mature size
- 6-10 in tall, spreading 1-2 ft wide per plant; mats together as a groundcover.
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Bloom
- Yellow, orange, bronze, cream depending on selection, Heaviest spring (Mar-May) with sporadic bloom into fall; near year-round in mild winters.
- Cold hardiness
- USDA 9a-11; hardy to roughly 25-28 F. Foliage may be nipped by hard frost but recovers; the trailing/silver form is somewhat more cold-sensitive.
- Soil
- Well-drained sandy or decomposed-granite soils; tolerates poor, alkaline desert soil. Will not tolerate poor drainage.
- Native range
- Coastal South Africa
- Best used as
- Sunny groundcover, Slope and bank stabilization, Edging and parking-lot islands, Fills between pavers and rock
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees and butterflies; deer- and rabbit-resistant.
- Toxicity
- Generally regarded as non-toxic / low concern to pets and people.
How to grow Trailing Gazania in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Water deeply but infrequently once established; roughly every 7-14 days in summer, every 3-4 weeks in winter. Avoid keeping crowns soggy, which causes rot. Let soil dry between irrigations.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Light feeder. One application of balanced slow-release fertilizer in early spring is plenty; over-fertilizing produces lush foliage at the expense of flowers.
Pruning & care
Shear back lightly after main bloom flushes and remove spent flowers to encourage rebloom. Cut back tired, woody patches in early spring to rejuvenate.
Notes
Silvery, gray-green foliage version of clumping gazania, valued in Tucson as a tough, low-water flowering groundcover for full reflected sun. Best appearance with occasional shearing; can look ragged if neglected. Reseeds and roots along stems.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension / Pima County Master Gardeners; AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (xeriscape plant lists)