Native plant profile: the ever-blooming sea daisy

Year ’round color is one of those garden desires that can only be achieved in Southern California and other climates with mild winters. But truly ever-blooming plants are rare both among exotics and natives.

While the best strategy to achieve year ’round flower color is to use a range of plants, some of which will be winter bloomers, there are a few special native plants that bloom in every season, hot to cold.

Most surprising of these is a daisy that, yes, usually occurs in nature immediately next to the ocean: the Wayne Roderick Sea Daisy.

This interesting hybrid is a low evergreen herb that produces masses of pink daisies with yellow centers.

All that is necessary to force its explosion of color is to provide low amounts of supplemental water and deadhead the spent blooms, then – POW! It’s like you just reset the clock to spring!

Even better, the Wayne Roderick Sea Daisy distinguishes itself from other sea daisies by having extraordinary heat and drought tolerance.

Light watering every other week after the plant is established is all this daisy really needs even in the hot foothills, unless your soil drains very well; then it might require light watering once per week.

Massed to form a groundcover effect, the Wayne Roderick Sea Daisy is just as extraordinary as ice plant in bloom but requires less water and will continue blooming for you throughout the seasons.