Digging deeperPlant Library

Mount Atlas Daisy flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Anacyclus pyrethrum var. depressus

Description:

A charming alpine plant from the Atlas Mountains that forms a compact, spreading mat of fine ferny leaves; interesting daisy flowers have deep crimson stripes on the petal reverses; flowers close when cloudy or at night; must have good drainage

Ornamental Features

Mount Atlas Daisy features showy white daisy flowers with yellow eyes and a crimson reverse at the ends of the stems from late spring to mid summer, which emerge from distinctive crimson flower buds. Its tiny tomentose ferny leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Mount Atlas Daisy is an herbaceous perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Mount Atlas Daisy is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Mount Atlas Daisy will grow to be only 3 inches tall at maturity extending to 4 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 12 inches. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for sandy, alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.

Mount Atlas Daisy is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.