# Trailing African Daisy (*dimorphotheca fruticosa*)

The Trailing African Daisy is a beautiful flower that loves to spread out on the ground. Its bright petals can make any garden look cheerful and happy!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** They thrive in sunny, open areas and can often be found in gardens and along roadsides.
- **Also known as:** African Daisy, Cape Daisy

![Trailing African Daisy](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dimorphotheca_fruticosa.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Nicola van Berkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dimorphotheca_fruticosa.jpg)

## Appearance

The Trailing African Daisy is a low-growing plant with cheerful, daisy-like flowers. Its vibrant blooms, often white, yellow, orange, or purple, distinctly feature a contrasting dark center. The petals often have a glossy sheen, making them pop against the green foliage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Dimorphotheca

## Interesting facts

- Even after being picked, its flowers can still close up when it gets dark!
- Its scientific name, Dimorphotheca, means "two-shaped fruit," describing its unique seeds!
- Sometimes the flowers have a ring of one color, and a center of a totally different color!
- These cheerful flowers originated from South Africa, bringing sunshine to gardens worldwide!

## Special abilities

- **Water-Saving Leaves:** Trailing African Daisy has succulent-like leaves that store water, helping it survive long dry periods in its native habitat.
- **Solar-Powered Blooms:** Its flowers open widely in the sunshine and close at night or on cloudy days, maximizing light absorption for energy.
- **Ground Cover Growth:** This plant quickly spreads over the ground, forming a dense mat that helps prevent soil erosion and outcompete weeds.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-30 cm
- **Spread:** 30-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to Fall, year-round in mild climates
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen, aiding in reproduction.
- **Pollinates:** Painted Lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — Visits flowers for nectar, spreading pollen.
- **Eats:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Feeds on leaves and tender stems.
- **Eats:** Green Peach Aphid (*Myzus persicae*) — Sucks sap from stems and leaves.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Trailing African Daisy?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Trailing African Daisy?

15-30 cm

### How wide does Trailing African Daisy spread?

30-90 cm

### How big are the flowers on Trailing African Daisy?

3-5 cm

### When does Trailing African Daisy bloom?

Spring to Fall, year-round in mild climates

### Is Trailing African Daisy edible?

No

### Is Trailing African Daisy toxic?

Mild

### What is Trailing African Daisy's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Woodthrush Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/woodthrush-park) — California, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Trailing African Daisy: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/trailing-african-daisy)