When to plant Livingstone Daisy in Subtropical Australia

Subtropical zone — applies to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Coffs Harbour, Lismore and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Temperate · Cool · Tropical · Arid.

Sow Livingstone daisy direct from February to May, scattering the fine seed just 3 mm deep into a warm, free-draining bed. In subtropical gardens around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, an autumn start lets seedlings settle through the mild, drier months and flower before the next humid summer. Germination takes 14–28 days, so keep the surface lightly moist but never waterlogged. Thin or space plants 15 cm apart with rows 15–20 cm apart. This is a slow crop at roughly 140 days to a full carpet of bloom, so patience through winter is rewarded with dense, daisy-like colour in the warming spring light.

Sowing calendar — subtropical zone

Green months are your sowing window: February to May.

Growing notes

Livingstone daisy is a sun-lover that resents wet feet, which is its main challenge in the humid subtropics. Choose the sunniest, best-drained spot you have and, if your soil holds water, raise the bed or mix in coarse sand and grit. Along the coast from the Gold Coast to Coffs Harbour, the autumn-to-winter window is ideal because it sidesteps the sticky summer wet that this succulent daisy hates.

The most common failure here is rot. Seedlings and mature plants both collapse at the base when they sit in soggy soil or are watered from overhead in still, muggy weather. Water at the base in the morning so foliage dries quickly, and let the top of the soil dry between waterings. Overfeeding is the second trap: rich soil and heavy nitrogen give you lush leaves and few flowers, so keep feeding light.

The flowers close on cloudy days and open in full sun, so don't panic if a grey, humid morning leaves the bed looking shut down. Snails and slugs will graze tender seedlings after rain, so bait or hand-pick around emerging plants.

Livingstone Daisy at a glance

Common questions

when to plant Livingstone daisy in Brisbane

Sow direct from February through to May. This autumn window gives seedlings the cool, drier months to establish before flowering, and it avoids the summer wet that causes rot in Brisbane's humidity.

why won't my Livingstone daisy flowers open

The blooms only open in full, direct sun and stay shut on overcast or humid mornings. Plant them in the brightest position you have, and expect them to close again each afternoon and on grey days.

does Livingstone daisy need a lot of water

No. It is a succulent-leaved plant that stores moisture and rots in wet soil. Water at the base only when the top layer has dried, and avoid overhead watering in still, muggy weather.

how long does Livingstone daisy take to flower

Around 140 days from sowing, so an autumn sowing typically flowers into spring. It is a slow crop, but the reward is a dense carpet of colour once the weather warms.

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