Cut-leaved daisy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cut-leaved daisy |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Brachyscome
|
| Species: |
B. multifida
|
| Binomial name | |
| Brachyscome multifida |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Brachyscome marginata var. multifida (F.Muell.) G.L.Davis |
|
Brachyscome multifida is a pretty plant often called the cut-leaved daisy, rocky daisy, or Hawkesbury daisy. It's a type of herb that lives for many years. This plant belongs to the Asteraceae family, which includes many daisy-like flowers. You can only find this special plant growing naturally in Australia.
Contents
What Does the Cut-Leaved Daisy Look Like?
This plant grows upright and can spread out like a mat. It usually reaches about 45 centimeters (about 1.5 feet) tall. Its leaves are thin and have deep cuts, making them look delicate.
The beautiful flowers grow on long stems, called peduncles, which can be 4 to 40 centimeters long. These stems hold the flowers above the leaves. The flowers themselves are like small daisies.
You can find them in shades of purple (mauve), pink, or white. Each flower petal, called a ray floret, is about 7 to 10 millimeters long. While they bloom mostly from early autumn to mid-winter, you might see these daisy-like flowers at any time of the year.
How Was This Plant Named?
The Brachyscome multifida was first officially described by a Swiss botanist named Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. He wrote about it in a book in 1836.
A plant collector named Allan Cunningham found the first samples of this plant. He discovered them in a place called Peel's Range in New South Wales, Australia. Today, that area is known as the Cocoparra Range.
Scientists recognize two slightly different types, or varieties, of this plant:
- B. multifida var dilitata: This type has leaf parts that are wider at the tip.
- B. multifida var multifida: This type has very narrow, pointed leaf parts.
Where Does the Cut-Leaved Daisy Grow?
The Brachyscome multifida plant grows in dry, shallow, or rocky soils. You can find it in sclerophyll forests or grasslands. It grows naturally in three states of Australia: Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.
Growing Your Own Cut-Leaved Daisy
Many people love to grow Brachyscome multifida in their gardens. It's popular for planting in large groups, in hanging baskets, or along garden edges. It also looks great spilling over retaining walls.
This plant can grow in many different types of soil. It can handle dry conditions, but it will grow even better if you water it sometimes. It likes to be in a sunny spot, but it can also grow in partial shade.
Even though it can handle some frost, its leaves might get a bit damaged in very cold weather. It's quite easy to grow new plants from cuttings. You can also try to grow them from seeds, but it's often harder for the seeds to sprout.
