The genus Felicia is one of southern Africa’s most charming daisy groups, celebrated for its sparkling yellow centres framed by ray florets in shades of blue, violet, lilac and white. Belonging to the Asteraceae, these plants range from tiny ground-hugging cushions and rocky crevice specialists to airy shrublets dancing above dry grasslands and fynbos slopes. Many Felicia species are exquisitely adapted to harsh conditions – sun, wind, poor soils and seasonal drought – yet reward gardeners with clouds of cheerful blooms that attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. With their wild elegance and remarkable resilience, Felicia daisies bring a distinctly South African brilliance to gardens worldwide.

Felicia annectens (Aster annectens)

Felicia annectens is one of the more delicate “astertjie” daisies, valued for its fine, natural look and its ability to make a small patch of veld feel instantly alive when it flowers. It’s offered here as true species seed for growers who enjoy raising locally adapted South African wildflowers, and for international collectors who want a genuinely naturalistic daisy rather than a heavily bred bedding plant.

In the wild it is a southern African plant recorded as endemic to South Africa, where it occurs in the Western Cape as part of open, sunlit vegetation rather than deep shade. As with many Felicia, it’s typically associated with well-drained ground where competition from tall, dense plants is limited, allowing its flowering stems to rise cleanly above the foliage.

Plants are low and tufted to lightly spreading, carrying daisy heads with a bright yellow centre and soft-toned ray florets that read as pale to mid lilac/blue in good light. Flowering is mainly in the brighter months (often spring into early summer), with timing shifting earlier or later depending on local rainfall and altitude.

Cultivation Note: Sow onto a fine, gritty, free-draining mix and keep evenly moist (not wet) until germination; give strong light from the start to prevent legginess. Grow in full sun to very light shade, water deeply but infrequently once established, and avoid rich feeding – lean soils produce sturdier, more floriferous plants.