Family: Asteraceae (daisies)

Status: Still promoted as a hardy garden plant.

Description:
A spreading perennial herb to about 50cm high. White to pink or red daisy flowers 1-2cm across are borne all year round.

Preferred habitat and impacts:
Not much naturalised on the south coast yet, but known to be weedy elsewhere. Highly tolerant of poor, dry soils and grows in a wide range of conditions. Has been recorded growing on tree fern trunks and old chimneys, so requirement for soil is minimal. A very popular garden plant which has great potential to spread into many types of native vegetation.

Dispersal:
Seed is wind-spread. Plants will also spread vegetatively by rooting at the nodes, and dumped material may re-sprout.

Look-alikes
Some other daisies which are popular hardy garden plants also naturalise around towns, often due to dumping rather than seed dispersal. All have much larger flowers than those of seaside daisy.

Control
Remove this plant from gardens which are close to native vegetation. Do not dump garden refuse.