The genus Felicia is one of southern Africa’s most charming daisy groups, celebrated for its sparkling yellow centres framed by ray florets in shades of blue, violet, lilac and white. Belonging to the Asteraceae, these plants range from tiny ground-hugging cushions and rocky crevice specialists to airy shrublets dancing above dry grasslands and fynbos slopes. Many Felicia species are exquisitely adapted to harsh conditions – sun, wind, poor soils and seasonal drought – yet reward gardeners with clouds of cheerful blooms that attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. With their wild elegance and remarkable resilience, Felicia daisies bring a distinctly South African brilliance to gardens worldwide.

Felicia erigeroides (Aster erigeroides, Aster erigeroides schultesii, Aster erigeroides trinervius, Felicia natalensis, Felicia trinervia) – Wild Michaelmas Daisy, Michaelmas Felicia

Felicia erigeroides is a rewarding, floriferous felicia that delivers that classic “miniature wild aster” charm – a plant that looks like it belongs in open veld and rocky clearings, yet adapts beautifully to careful cultivation. It’s a lovely option for anyone wanting authentic southern African daisy character in a manageable, seed-grown plant.

It is endemic to South Africa, with populations associated with the eastern parts of the country, including KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape in particular references, and it is sometimes linked historically to regional names used in older botanical treatments.

The plant forms a small shrublet or perennial with slender stems and neat foliage and produces blue to violet daisy flowers with bright yellow centres, often in generous flushes when conditions are right. In favourable weather it can bloom across extended periods, especially from spring into summer, bringing fresh colour without needing heavy feeding or pampering.

Cultivation Note: Sow seed in a fine, well-drained medium and give strong light from early on to prevent stretching. Keep seedlings evenly moist until established, then water more deeply but less often. For best flowering, provide full sun, airflow, and lean soils – felicias generally bloom better when not overfed.