Overview
Gazania 'Magic' is a matforming bedding in the genus Gazania, part of the Asteraceae family, with evergreen foliage. Gazania 'Magic' grows best in full sun, and tolerates loam and sand soils and any pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H2. Suggested uses include city and courtyard gardens, coastal, cottage and informal garden, gravel garden, patio and container plants, rock garden, banks and slopes, bedding, flower borders and beds and garden edging. It is native to Western Australia.
About
Gazania 'Magic' is a mat-forming, evergreen bedding herbaceous perennial that gives a long period of summer bloom from June to October. It prefers full sun on well-drained loam or sandy soils and suits south- or west-facing, sheltered positions. Rated H2 (half-hardy) in the UK, it needs winter protection in colder gardens. Use it for edging, gravel beds, containers or on banks and slopes where a low, spreading habit is required.
About the genus
Gazania is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to Southern Africa. They produce large, daisy-like composite flowerheads in brilliant shades of yellow and orange, over a long period in summer. They are often planted as drought-tolerant groundcover, but regarded as an environmental weed in parts of Australia, the Mediterranean, New Zealand, and California, where they have become naturalised.
Wikipedia contributors, "Gazania", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Gazania
In the garden
Gazania 'Magic' belongs to the Asteraceae and originates from Western Australia. As a mat-forming, evergreen perennial it is grown primarily for summer flowering and ground cover use. In the UK it flowers from June to October, supplying an extended season of colour in warm, sunny sites. Place Gazania 'Magic' in full sun and a south- or west-facing situation with some shelter from cold exposure. It performs best in freely draining loam or sandy soils and tolerates a wide pH range — acid, neutral or alkaline — provided the ground does not remain waterlogged. The plant is H2 on the UK hardiness scale (half-hardy), so in cooler areas it will benefit from winter protection or a frost-free spot. Its evergreen, mat-forming habit makes it practical for courtyard patios, containers and gravel gardens, and it also works well on slopes, banks and at the front of borders. Builders of coastal or courtyard schemes will find it suitable where exposure is limited and drainage is good. Expect reliable summer cover from June through October when sited in the recommended conditions.
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Gazania
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H2
Plant details
Gazania 'Magic' size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- Bedding, Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit
- Matforming
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Patio and container plants, Rock garden, Banks and slopes, Bedding, Flower borders and beds, Garden edging
- Native to
- Western Australia
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Gazania 'Magic'
- Propagation
- Softwood cuttings taken from the base of shoots in late summer, kept in frost-free conditions over winter
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free except for aphids when overwintered indoors
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to glasshouse grey moulds when overwintered indoors
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to plant Gazania 'Magic'?
Gazania 'Magic' prefers full sun. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Gazania 'Magic' need?
Gazania 'Magic' grows best in loam and sand soil. It is happy in soil of any pH. Aim for soil that stays well-drained.
Is Gazania 'Magic' hardy in the UK?
Gazania 'Magic' has an RHS hardiness rating of H2, meaning it is tender, tolerating 1–5°C, and needs frost-free protection over winter.
How do I propagate Gazania 'Magic'?
Softwood cuttings taken from the base of shoots in late summer, kept in frost-free conditions over winter.