A researched TAFE plant identification study record for Euryops pectinatus, the Golden Daisy Bush, an evergreen Asteraceae shrub from South Africa's south-western Cape.

Identification

The upright shoots carry soft, grey-green, hairy leaves arranged in spirals. Each leaf is deeply and regularly divided, producing the comb-like outline referenced by the epithet pectinatus. Long stalks hold bright yellow daisy-like flower heads up to about 5 cm across. These are composite capitula, not single flowers: ray florets surround a central disc of smaller florets.

Distribution and habitat

The natural range is restricted to the south-western Cape of South Africa, from Gifberg to the Cape Peninsula, particularly fynbos on rocky sandstone slopes. That Mediterranean-type habitat helps explain the plant's preference for sun, drainage and limited winter saturation.

Cultivation

Grow in full sun in well-drained soil and protect from severe frost. Light trimming after a major flowering flush reduces legginess and encourages branching. Propagation is possible from seed, softwood cuttings in late spring or semi-hardwood cuttings in summer. Regular deadheading is optional but can improve presentation.

Safety note

Kew's species profile records all parts as poisonous if ingested. Treat the plant as ornamental and keep study notes separate from food-plant records.