Gazania (Gazania Rigens New Day Red Shades) - A native of South Africa, these heat-loving, drought tolerant beauties can be grown from Gazania seeds. Gazania Red Shades features 3 inch daisy-like blooms that have a rich mahogany red color. They are bold and beautiful, and they will look lovely spilling over the sides of containers and baskets or edging a walk way or flower border. Called Treasure Flower, Gazania is not tolerant of frost, so grow it as an annual in areas that receive frosts and cold winter temperatures.

Gazania Treasure Flowers are good drought resistant plants for the front of sunny garden borders and also perform well as a flowering ground cover when planted in large groups. Because of their heat and drought tolerance, Gazanias are especially useful near driveways and sidewalks. They also do well in mixed container plantings, pots, baskets and window boxes as well. Gazania are known for closing their flowers at night and on cloudy days, but this series produces blooms that stay opened more so that you can enjoy them more!

If growing Gazania seeds in colder climates, start the flower seeds indoors 6 - 8 weeks before the last expected frost. Treasure Flower seeds should be pressed into the soil but not covered and kept moist but not saturated until germination occurs. After germination of the flower seeds, reduce watering and grow seedlings in a sunny window location. For warm climates, start the Gazania seeds directly outdoors in a prepared seedbed. Space the ground cover seed 8 - 12 inches apart in the seedbed.

Gazania care includes deadheading the spent flowers to promote the growth of more blooms. Also, Gazania plants benefit from an application of a balanced liquid fertilizer every other week during the growing season or mix in a slow-release fertilizer at the time of transplanting or preparing the seedbed. Water Gazania Treasure Flower plants slowly and deeply and let them dry out in-between waterings. Applying an organic mulch around the base of the Gazania plants helps to hold moisture in.