Brachyglottis compacta
DAISY BUSH, CASTLEPOINT DAISY, CASTLEPOINT TREE DAISY
syn. Senecio compactus
Family: Asteraceae
Pronounced: bra-kee-GLO-tis com-PAK-tuh
Quick Jumps
Growing Guide
Rainy Side Notes
GROWING GUIDE
Origin:
New Zealand—North Island.
Plant Group:
Shrubs.
Hardiness:
Sunset zones: 5-9, 14-24.
USDA zones: 8-9.
Heat zones: 10-9.
Mature size:
Height: 3 feet (1 m).
Width: 4 feet (1.2 m).
Flowering period:
Mid to late summer.
Flowering attributes:
The bright yellow daisies can be either single or a few flowers on a raceme.
Leaf attributes:
Oblong, hairy leaves. The hairiness gives the leaves a gray color, with darker gray on top and lighter gray under the leaves.
Growth habit:
Mound-forming.
Light:
Full sun.
Soil:
Well-drained soil is necessary.
Propagation Methods:
Semi-ripe cuttings in summer.
Pruning Methods:
Prune out old branches on a yearly basis.
Rainy Side Notes
A threatened plant and endemic to a very limited area on New Zealand's North Island, Brachyglottis compacta is a cliff dweller growing along the coastal limestone above the ocean near Castle Point. Its botanical name describes the short ray florets on the flower, brachys meaning short, and glottis meaning tongue.
This superb shrub gives structure to the winter garden with its hairy evergreen leaves that are soft to the touch. It's incredibly salt tolerant with a need for good drainage, making it an excellent choice for a seaside garden. For the cutting garden, the flowers and foliage are first-rate in arrangements because of their longevity in the vase.
If you enjoy daisies, you will love this shrub. The evergreen foliage is a handsome addition to the garden, and flowers cover the shrubs in summer. This is another New Zealand native I welcome into my Northwest garden. Those gardeners living in colder areas of our maritime region will have to winter it over in a protected place.
Photographed in author's garden.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton