Featured Flower: Gazania Colorado Gold® (Gazania linearis)

The genus, Gazania, comes from the Latin word gaza meaning treasure. This flowering “treasure” belongs to the Aster family. The Colorado Gold® variety is native to the grassy slopes and rocky cliffs of the Drakensberg Mountains in Southern Africa. Of special note, this particular flower is a Plant Select variety introduced in 1998.

Commonly called the treasure flower, Gazania linearis is a cold hardy plant that does well in USDA Zones 4 to 8. Easily grown in sandy to average, well-drained soils, it requires full sun with moderate moisture. This plant has glossy mounds of deep green leaves. Stemless, bright yellow flowers (roughly 3” in diameter) bloom all season long. Deadheading old flowers will encourage additional bloom throughout the season. In addition, this will help prevent reseeding, as this plant reseeds freely.

Gazania linearis is perfect for border edges, mass plantings, xeriscape gardens, and rock gardens. In fact, we like it so much here at Applewood Seed Company that we planted it in the flowerbeds surrounding our office building. So, if you ever swing by for a visit, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for this beautiful, low-growing perennial near our entrance!

–written by Evan Mawe, Seed Sales Specialist