What is a Bush Daisy?

A bush daisy, yellow bush daisy or Euryops is an evergreen perennial shrub with large yellow daisy flowers. Blooms are year-round, and its leaves are toothed and green or silver-green. The bush daisy is native to South Africa. It does well in dry, hot weather, though it cannot live in intense heat.

The bush daisy grows densely packed, so it is an ideal plant for use as a garden border or a small screen. It is more of a background plant than an accent plant in the garden, and planting it in groupings near focal points such as fountains, large trees or sculptures will make for an attractive display. The plant grows fast and can also be used as a quick fix for large bare spots in the garden.

Bush daisies should be planted in sandy soil in a sunny part of the garden. A young plant will wilt quickly in heat if watered infrequently. After it is established, the bush daisy is resistant to drought. It requires weekly soakings in summer and less frequent watering in fair weather.

This plant is easy to keep, and insects and deer don't like it. The bush daisy isn't bothered by salty, coastal air. The plant naturally grows in an orderly, circular shape, so pruning is unnecessary. Cutting off dead flowers makes the bush daisy flower heavier, but the plant will keep flowering with dead flowers left on it.

The two things that hurt the plant are over-watering and heavy frost. The bush daisy is prone to root rot and should not be planted in clay soil. Likewise,the shrub will do poorly in a spot that is watered with nightly sprinklers.

The plant needs temperate weather, and frost can kill it. The bush daisy grows well in large containers and can be overwintered in a garage or a sunny window spot in cold climates that have regular snow or frost. If planted in cold climates, the bush daisy can be grown as an annual and is available in nurseries in spring.

The most common bush daisy species found in nurseries are Euryops chrysanthemoides and Euryops pectinatus. Euryops chrysanthemoides has leaves shaped like oak leaves. The plant reaches 1.5 feet to 6.5 feet (0.5 to 2 m) in height, so it is best planted by the front border or in a pot. Euryops pectinatus has more delicate-looking, fern-shaped leaves and grows to a height of 3 to 6 feet (.9 to 1.8 m), with a spread of up to 6 feet (1.8 m). Both plants are good cut flowers to use in bouquets.