Our Cape Marigold Fairy is in love with the sun. She only shows her bold colors if she sees the sun. On cloudy days and at night, she closes her petals, waiting patiently for her idol to shine again.
As its name shows it, the Cape Marigold, also known as the African Daisy, is native to South Africa, where it bursts into bloom when the spring rains come. It belongs to the great family of Asteraceae, which has over 23,000 species worldwide!
Like its other daisy relatives from South Africa, it's tough to live in hot, dry conditions, so the Cape Marigold shows its gratitude for moisture by blossoming into stellar blooms. This makes it at home also in areas where summers aren't hot, such as the Northern regions of the U.S. and the Pacific Northwest, where it will bloom constantly until frost.
The Cape Marigold flowers blossom in shades of white and bold orange, or yellow and apricot, which make them desirable in any colorful garden. Be careful though, and watch over your native plants. Since the Cape Marigold is very resistant to drought, it can become pretty invasive in non-native landscapes!
