How to grow African Wild Aster

Once the plants are established, they grow fast. Grow in full sun or semi-shade. They easily adapt to new soil types. It is a water-wise plant and grows well in coastal gardens. Fertilizer for flowering plants (with ratio of N:P:K = 3:1:5) can be added to the soil to enhance growth.

Sow seeds in spring or autumn on sandy loam soil with good drainage. Cover the seeds with a light dressing of sand. It takes up to three weeks to germinate.

Cuttings can be taken in autumn or spring. Fill a container with a mixture of 1:1 fine milled pine bark and polystyrene. To propagate cuttings use stems 30-50 mm long, remove side shoots, a third to half of the lower leaves and flowers if present. The stems must be cut just below the node and the end of the stems can be covered in rooting hormone to encourage root growth. Shake all excess powder off before putting them in a container as too much powder will burn the cutting. Put the cuttings about a third of the stem length in the soil. Cover the container with a plastic bag to retain the moisture. The cuttings can also be placed in a mist unit with bottom heating at 25º C. Roots start developing after 2-3 weeks.

These estimates for how long African wild aster takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

There are 83 different species of Felicia and 78 are native to southern Africa, most of which are found in the Cape. The other species are native to other parts of Africa and Saudi Arabia. The genus Felicia Cass. was named after Felix, a German official at Regensburg, who died in 1846. Felicia aethiopica has two subspecies, aethiopica and ecklonis. The two subspecies can be distinquished by the fruit (achenes). In subsp. aethiopia the fruit are glabrous and in subsp. ecklonis the fruit are hairy.

The species name aethiopica is not directly related to Ethiopia – in classical times it meant south of the known world i.e. south of Egypt and Libya. Several southern African plants were given this specific epiphet early on. ²

Felicia aethiopica subsp. aethiopica is an attractive plant that can be used in rock garden pockets, mixed borders, as edging for taller perennials, filler, ground cover, containers or allowed to sprawl over low garden walls. In a mixed border it can be planted with Helichrysum cymosum, Bulbine frutescens, Ursinia paleacea, U. sericea, Plecostachys serpyllifolia, Cineraria saxifraga, C. geifolia, Dimorphotheca fruticosus, Pelargonium betulinum (white) and Geranium incanum (white).

Wilde-aster (afrikaans), Bloublombossie (afrikaans), Dwarf felicia

¹ Zantedeschia aethiopica on the South African National Biodiversity website, PlantzAfrica:http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantwxyz/zantedeschaeth.htm