Gazania

Gazania × splendens

Quick facts

Status

Permitted s11

Life Cycle

Perennial

Growth Form

Herb

Origin

South Africa

Flowers

Yellow/orange

Dispersal

Wind blown seeds

Names

Other Common Names: Gazania Daisy, Hardy Gazania, Treasure Flower

Synonyms: Gazania rigens, G. linearis, Gorteria linearis

Form and function

Typically grows up to 0.1 to 0.3 m high. Seeds can germinate under a wide range of environmental conditions, including extreme heat, cold, drought, high salinity and even when deeply buried in the soil.

Flowers

Large flower heads, up to 8 cm wide.
Flower stalks can grow up to 35 cm long.
Yellow or orange petals.
Petals usually have a dark stripe on the underside and a dark spot or blotch near the base.
Lots of variation in colour due to hybrid species.

Leaves

Form a basal rosette at ground level.
Leaves may be narrow and linear or broader and deeply lobed.
Margins usually smooth, sometimes slightly prickly.
White underside covered with white hairs.
Glossy dark green upper surface that is mostly hairless to slightly hairy.
Prominent central vein.

Seed

Fruits are small dry achenes, 1 to 2 mm long.
Pappus scales are approximately 4 mm long.

Roots

Stems are present and may become woody at the base
Tuberous root system.
Rooting at the nodes.

Habitat

Typically grows in sandy soils in coastal areas, roadsides, wasteland around settlements, grasslands and open woodlands in inland areas. It has become a weed of cropping areas in eastern Australia.

May be confused with...

Similar non-native species: Similar to coastal gazania (Gazania rigens), also a weed, and hybrids between the two species are also thought to be present in naturalised populations. In Western Australia, gazania is much more widespread and common in inland regions, while coastal gazania is mainly found along the coast. Gazania has lighter-colored, silvery-green leaves, larger flower heads (typically 10cm wide) and shorter stems (typically up to 15cm) compared to the coastal gazania.

How does it spread?

Wind-blown seed, vegetative growth, and illegal dumping of garden waste.

Why is it a weed?

Severely alter the vegetation structure in plant communities by replacing and suppressing native plants.

History

Widely promoted as a hardy, waterwise garden plant during the 1950s and 1960s, gazania was first recorded naturalising in Western Australia in the 1980s. It remains widely available through the nursery trade, although the potted varieties sold by major retailers are typically sterile hybrids. In contrast, gazania seed packets generally contain fertile seed and can produce plants capable of spreading into the environment.

How to control

Physical

Chemical

Physical

For individual plants or small infestations pull out by hand, making sure the roots are removed so it doesn’t re-grow. Once removed, bag the flower heads and remove them off site. The ‘bagging’ prior to disposal is important because even when the gazania flower heads are detached, most still have the ability to develop as mature flower heads with masses of viable seed.

Chemical

For plants that are actively growing (plants over 15 cm high):

Non-selective herbicide

Spot spray (e.g. backpack or knapsack sprayer) with glyphosate (360 g/L) at a rate of 75-100 ml in 15L of water or glyphosate (540 g/L) with a rate of 50-70 ml in 15L of water. If spraying near water, use a bioactive formulation.

Selective herbicide

Spot spray clopyralid (750g/kg) 0.4g/10L water plus penetrant is recommended in bushland areas to minimise off target damage.