Euryops pectinatus (African bush daisy)
Euryops pectinatus (African bush daisy) is a durable tropical perennial hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 8b through 10. It can be used in containers or as a landscape item in mass plantings, hedges or as a specimen plant.
E. pectinatus performs best in well-drained, slightly alkaline soils and full to partial sun. It is sensitive to insect pests, including aphids, mealybugs and mites. Once established in the landscape, these plants can withstand fairly high and low temperatures, which may provide an advantage over garden mums or marguerite daisies.
Production
Propagation of softwood cuttings of E. pectinatus can be challenging; growers usually root semihardwood cuttings. Plants are typically grown like garden mums with two cuttings planted per 6- to 8-inch pot or 1-gallon container. Two pinches are recommended for canopy development.
Fertilization management
In general, use nitrogen at 100-150 parts per million from a complete fertilizer. For outdoor production, a controlled-release fertilizer should be applied during active growth periods.
Nutrient deficiencies can occur during production, especially during later stages of propagation or when root substrates remain saturated. Common symptoms include intervenal chlorosis of young leaves and lower leaf yellowing.
Fertility monitoring and management for Euryops requires balancing the plant’s needs. Growers must be aware and manage the root substrate pH and electrical conductivity and provide adequate, but not excessive, levels of all essential elements. Using a plant diagnostic laboratory to identify the source of problems is still the best way to ensure accurate diagnoses, since nutritional, physiological, insect and disease problems can mimic each other.
{sidebar id=1}
Nutrient deficiency descriptions are unavailable for most perennials, yet growers must often make quick diagnoses. A research project initiated at the
Pictures related to the nutrient deficiencies series may accessed by viewing the PDF files of the pages that originally appeared in GMPRO magazine: Page 1. Page 2. Page 3. Page 4. Page 5.
{tab=Macronutrients}
Nitrogen (N)
Initially, nitrogen-deficiency symptoms include shorter roots and shoots when compared to the control.
Nitrogen-deficient plants have uniform light-green to greenish-yellow upper growth and pale-yellow older leaves.
At the advanced stage, older leaves turn uniformly dull yellow and eventually shrivel.
Phosphorus (P)
Phosphorus-deficient plants have thinner stems with less axillary shoot growth compared to the control.
Oldest to youngest leaves are smaller and slightly darker green when compared to the control.
Under advanced symptoms, mature leaves develop purple pigmentation on the tips. Tip burn (reddish-brown necrosis) soon follows.
Potassium (K)
Potassium-deficient plants are more compact with lighter-green shoots.
Recently mature and young leaves of affected plants have greenish-yellow interveinal chlorosis.
At the advanced stage, older leaf margins roll inward and are scorched.
Calcium (Ca)
Calcium-deficient plants have darker-green foliage than the control. Flower petals begin to shrivel and collapse.
Recently mature and young leaves quickly develop necrotic tips; plant foliage becomes dull green.
Eventually flower stems topple and young shoots become deformed. Necrosis quickly develops on young, straplike leaves.
Magnesium (Mg)
Magnesium deficiency begins as pale-green chlorosis on the recently mature leaves. Young leaves are bright green, while the older leaves express a papery burn on the margins and tips.
A close-up of the affected leaves shows the serrated margins of the mature leaves that are completely necrotic and turn upward.
Magnesium-deficient plants have spindly stems when compared to the control. Note the upper-central leaves and not the oldest mature leaves have necrotic tissue.
Sulfur (S)
Sulfur-deficient plants have brighter-green young and youngest leaves when compared to the control.
As symptoms progress, light-green shoots become upright with young leaves flexing to a 45-degree angle.
Here is a close-up of the upright architecture of sulfur-deficient plants.
{tab=Micronutrients}
Boron (B)
Boron-deficiency is initially expressed in the upper growth. Shoot tips appear flattened.
Compressed shoots cause the plant to appear shorter than the control.
At the advanced stage, deformed youngest and brittle young leaves have well-defined interveinal chlorosis.
Copper (Cu)
Copper-deficient plants have spindly stems and lighter foliage when compared to the control.
As symptoms progress, shoot growth becomes dark blue-green.
Comparison of copper-deficient leaves (top) to the control (bottom). Note the smaller mature leaves and lighter-green young and youngest leaves on copper-deficient plants.
Iron (Fe)
Iron-deficient plants first express lighter-green shoot growth.
Here is a close-up of light-green interveinal chlorosis on recently mature leaves. The older leaf on the left remains medium green.
Advanced symptoms include yellowish-green interveinal chlorosis on recently mature leaves and uniformly dull, olive-green young and youngest leaves.
Manganese (Mn)
Manganese deficiency begins with the entire plant appearing dull green and smaller than the control.
As symptoms progress, shoots express light-green chlorosis.
Necrotic leaf tips begin to appear on dull-green recently mature leaves that also express patchy interveinal chlorosis.
Zinc (Zn)
Shoot growth on zinc-deficient plants is more upright than the control.
Comparison of zinc-deficient leaves (top) to the control (bottom). Note the shorter lengths and lighter-green young and youngest leaves of zinc-deficient plants.
Under advanced deficiency conditions, recently mature leaves turn dull olive-green with yellowish-brown veins.
- James L. Gibson, Kathryn Campbell and Jude Groninger
James Gibson is assistant professor, Jude Groninger is senior laboratory technician and Kathryn Campbell is a former undergraduate research assistant, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, West Florida Research and Education Center, (850) 983-5216, Ext. 103;
The authors thank Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation for grant support, Smithers-Oasis for propagation medium, Hatchett Creek Farms for plant material and Quality Analytical Laboratories for tissue analysis.
{/tabs}