OSTEOSPERMUM FLOWERPOWER SPIDER PURPLE WHITE

I bought those awkward named plants from Parks Seeds last year. They arrived late in the season, and didn't flower at all until late August, They need to be deadheaded in order to produce more flowers, and I did that for a while, but I don't notice any seed production on the few flowers that I let go to seed. I will overwinter them inside (they are tender biannual) and propagate them from cuttings as I think that can be done, but I would love to get seeds. The bees and butterflies don't seem to visit them. Is that doable ?

This was not a very good photo. Here's another one. As you can see, this is an unusual flower. Is this plant too hybridy to create seeds ?

If you do get seeds, they likely wouldn't be true to the parent so if you like those flowers you're best off doing cuttings, chances are if you did get any seeds the babies would revert to the non-spoon type flowers. I have a number of different Osteospermums with the plain non-spoon shaped flowers and have occasionally gotten volunteer plants for some of them but most of them don't seem to set a ton of seed.

I'm also not sure what you're expecting from them in your garden--they don't like to bloom in hot weather, so if they overwinter for you, you'll probably see some flowers in the spring, then they'll do nothing all summer, then give you some blooms again in the fall when the weather gets a little cooler. They're not biennials, they're tender perennials and will come back year after year if your climate is warm enough. I don't know where Denison is but if you're in zone 9 or maybe even 8 they may do fine over the winter. Contrary to what it says in Plant Files these are solidly hardy here in zone 9a, and they even survived our winter where we had some temps in the high teens/low 20's for a week without any sign of damage whatsoever so I wouldn't be surprised if they could survive at least in zone 8.

Thank you. I live in zone 7B. As I have 10 of these plants, I will experiment with cuttings, whole plants brought in, and most of the others left to weather it out with heavy mulching. Do you think I should prune them ? They are getting a little scraggly. I really love osteospermums, all of them. Miriam

I've found that mine will usually fill themselves back in if I don't cut them back, but they do tend to sprawl over a large area if you let them and since you've got other plants there next to them they will need to be cut back at some point. I'm not sure if now is the best time though, pruning can stimulate new growth and that new growth will be more susceptible to cold damage. If they make it through the winter there may be some frost damaged sections that need to be cut off then anyway, or if not then wait until after their spring bloom and then cut them back.

Would you like some cuttings of it ?

I am an 8a and not one of mine survived our mild winter last year. They are well worth purchasing as an annual though. I had flowers all summer but the heavy flush was Spring and Fall.

Cuttings root easily, I've done it on several occasions.

Thanks Melody did you have success wintering the cuttings till spring.

Actually, all I did was cut up my plants to make more in early spring. I bought 3 and turned them into about 18 pretty quick. (I know, I'm a cheapskate)

ahhh love that game. It's very obsessive though. I need help but don't want it LOL At least the money I spend on flowers usually have wonderful results. Go to a movie drop 30 quick and what do you have to show for it. same goes for eating out. Actually I am so bad that I would rather skip a meal to have a new flower
Cindy

I adore those flowers.

Cindy - even if we could help you, we couldn't. There is no cure. it's a virus.