Dimorphotheca ecklonis

Dimorphotheca ecklonis, also known as Cape marguerite, African daisy, Van Staden's river daisy, Sundays river daisy, white daisy bush, blue-and-white daisy bush, or star of the veldt, is a perennial ornamental plant that is native to South Africa. They are part of Asteraceae family . They are common gardening plants due to the array of colors the come in, including yellow, orange, purple, white and pink. They are cultivated in suitable climates as ornamental plants, but are native to South Africa. They are now regarded as an invasive plant in parts of Australia, particularly Victoria and Western Australia.

Features
They are an evergreen, perennial dwarf shrub with the stature heights of 20 to 60 centimeters. The leaves measure 5 to 10 × 1 to 4 inches and are glandular fluffy, sessile, elliptical, slightly succulent, narrow obovate and entire or serrated. The heads are on 15 to 20 centimeters long stems and have a diameter of 5 to 8 centimeters. The bracts are 13 to 16 millimeters long and glandular. The rays are white above and reddish blue below. The disc is dark blue or purple. The fruit surface is net-wrinkled.

The flowering period is from April to September in the northern hemisphere. The plant is said to contain hydrocyanic acid, making it poisonous to livestock.

They are useful model organism for experiments because of traits like ability to grow quickly and all year round. They can also be used as UV indicators because they're phototropic and sensitive to radiation.

Distribution
When found naturally the plants can be seen growing at the base of cliffs or on steep hills. They are native to the Eastern Cape in Uitenhage and Humansdorp, in South Africa, and is found on wet grass and in river beds at altitudes up to 300 meters. They prefer subtropic biomes but has been introduced into the Azores, California, Mauritius, New South Wales, Queensland, Réunion, Spain, Tunisia, Victoria, and Western Australia. They have become popular in Europe in places like Sicily, Italy.

Cultivation
They can be grown as perennial but based on the temperature swings of the climate it can be annual. Based on the climate they tend to bloom late spring to summer, after rain and when the weather is hotter.

Currently, They are widely used as an ornamental plant in pots and beddings. In places like Australia where they have become invasive, the white colored flowers are ground cover plants. They are cultivated once a year. There are numerous hybrids and varieties, including upright, up to 1.5 meters high and half-low. This species has been in culture since about 1920. It thrives best in full sun, in poor, sandy soil.

Germination

The seeds tend to germinate in 15–20 days and prefer light watering and fertilizing. It is suggested that seeds are planted 6–10 inches from one another. For the best development of seeds put them in a area with maximal light. They will grow best in cooler temperatures.