11 Colourful Gazania Flower Varieties With Both Clumping And Mounding Types
Reviewed By ROY NICOL
Roy is a Professional Gardener and Horticultural Consultant, specialising in large garden year-round maintenance and garden development. He is an RHS Master of Horticulture and uses his research in the application of no-dig methods in ornamental garden settings. Roy has been a Professional Gardener for more than six years and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, Professional Gardener's Guild and Association of Professional Landscapers (Professional Gardener).
IN THIS GUIDE
Gazanias are broadly divided into two types – clumping or mounding, and trailing, decumbent or mat-forming.
Clumping varieties form mounds and have lobed leaves of a rich, medium green hue whereas decumbent varieties put out trailing stems and spread along the ground, and exhibit lance-shaped foliage of a delightfully appealing bluish-greyish chalky green.
Gazanias are very consistent in their sizes – most varieties of both kinds (i.e. clumping and trailing) attain a height and spread of between 20-30cm.
Some of my favourite varieties are presented underneath:
1) G. linearis
One of the more abundant species that has spread from its native Southern Africa and become naturalised to diverse regions such as Australia and Canada.
It is of a decumbent type and has the foliage typical of such varieties.
It produces striking golden-yellow flowers that are subtly gradated and display a slightly darker zone at the centre.
2) G. rigens
A species that is parent to several varieties.
This clumping type attains heights of only 20-30cm.
It has a particularly long blooming season, producing flowers from before summer until autumn.
The flowers are a brilliant sunny yellow with each petal displaying a ‘beauty spot’ at the proximal end.
3) G. ‘Chansonette’
A spreading variety that has dark, deep green foliage.
It is noted for producing blooms from mid-spring.
The flowers are 10cm across and are in tones of yellow through red with a central dark zone.
‘Chansonette’ stands out because of the quality and hues of its pink, yellow, orange and scarlet flowers.
4) G. ‘Tiger Stripes’
A very popular variety on both sides of the Atlantic.
It is of the clumping type and has foliage of a rich and deep green colour.
The large flowers are of a bright yellow colour with a thick rust-orange stripe on each petal.
This variety blooms profusely throughout the summer.
5) G. ‘Aztec’
Has a trailing and spreading habit with that ‘laid back’ foliage distinctive of this type.
The 7cm flowers are gorgeous, displaying a marvellous colour combination.
The central disk is yellow and the petals are a creamy pink, with a gradated maroon stripe.
A brilliant choice for groundcover and recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
6) G. ‘New Day Rose Stripe’
Of the clumping type and grows to 20-25cm.
It blooms from late spring to early autumn, producing large flowers.
They are brilliantly coloured, featuring a deep yellow disk and sharply gradated rose stripes on off-white petals.
A great pick for walkway borders.
7) G. ‘Cookei’
Of the decumbent type and its 7cm flowers do not have a particularly long blooming season.
Yet this variety has possibly the most riveting blooms.
They have a red and yellow capitulum, with the rays displaying a pronounced olive-green central zone and having a rusty, fiery orange colour.
Probably the top choice among Gazanias for a specimen plant.
This variety has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
8) G. ‘Tiger Eye’
A cultivar of G. rigens, this is a clumping type with unusual and attractive cream-rimmed leaves.
The petals are of a tawny orange colour, gently gradated or flushed, each with a prominent black ‘eye’ at its base.
This one’s another great pick for walkway borders.
9) G. ‘Big Kiss Yellow Flame’
Reaches 20-30cm but that is not the reason for the ‘big’ in its name.
It does not have a very long blooming season as it lasts from mid-spring to mid-summer.
What’s really striking about it is the size of the flowers (or flowerheads) which are fully 12cm across.
The capitulum is yellow ringed with brown, and the rays are golden yellow with a gradated maroon-red stripe.
10) G. ‘Big Kiss White Flame’
Similar to the variety named above except that it features an even more spectacular flower, this so because of the colours.
The rays have the lightest kind of creamy off-white base on which run brilliant stripes of gradated rose red.
It is a great choice for mixed beds.
11) G. ‘Talent Series’
Are of the spreading type that rise to only about 25cm and have that ‘cool’, muted bluish-grey foliage.
It blooms through summer and bears flowers in a panoply of colours, including pink and rose.
For all these attributes this is the Gazania variety that is the best bet for rock gardens.
This is yet another recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
