Livingstone daisy
Cleretum bellidiforme, family Aizoaceae
In its own language: Bokbaaivygie
A succulent annual with iridescent daisy-like flowers from South Africa
This low-growing succulent annual comes from the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. It bears bright, many-petalled blooms in white, yellow, orange, pink and crimson that open only in full sun, and is widely grown as a summer bedding plant in gardens worldwide.
- Flowers open only in bright sunlight
- Leaves have reflective water-storing bladder cells
- Formerly classified under Dorotheanthus and Mesembryanthemum
- Named after David Livingstone in 1928
- Listed as Least Concern in South Africa
What does Livingstone daisy look like?
Livingstone daisy forms a compact groundcover up to 25 cm tall. Its leaves are flat, rounded at the tip, and covered in bladder-like cells that store water and reflect light. The solitary flowers have many narrow petals and reach 30 mm across. They come in vivid shades and open only in bright sunlight. Maroon stamens with purple or yellow anthers sit in neat rows around a central inferior ovary.
Where does Livingstone daisy come from?
Native to the western parts of South Africa’s Western Cape, this plant grows in patchy populations from the Cape Peninsula north into the desert edges of the Northern Cape. It thrives in disturbed sandy soils, clay slopes, limestone ridges and granite outcrops within fynbos and succulent karoo vegetation. It was first described in 1768 under a different genus and has since been moved twice, now placed in Cleretum.
When and how Livingstone daisy blooms
Seeds germinate after autumn rains and the plant grows quickly through winter, flowering from late winter to spring (July–October in South Africa). It needs full sun and well-drained soil; poor drainage invites fungal problems. Gardeners sow seeds in cold frames or directly in beds, often using it for mass displays or edging. It performs best where frost is absent and summers are dry.
How Livingstone daisy is used
Grown almost entirely for ornament, it appears in window boxes, pots, troughs and garden beds in temperate zones as a half-hardy annual. In its native range, wild plants are known by Afrikaans names like Bokbaaivygie. A related form once considered a subspecies is now recognised as a separate species, C. hestermalense.
Kinds of Livingstone daisy
The species shows many local colour forms, differing only in flower hue. One former subspecies, distinguished by its very small size and tiny pink flowers, occurred further north in the Western and Northern Cape. It was elevated to full species status in 2012 as Cleretum hestermalense.
What Livingstone daisy means
Named after explorer David Livingstone by seed merchant Samuel Ryder in 1928, it remains popular in horticulture under several old scientific names. Though not tied to religious rites, it features in South African vernacular naming, including 'skilpadkos' (turtle food) and 'ysplant' (ice plant). It is listed as Least Concern on South Africa’s plant Red List.
Questions people ask about Livingstone daisy
Where does the Livingstone daisy come from?
It is native to the winter-rainfall areas of western South Africa, especially the Cape Peninsula and Bokbaai.
Why is it called Livingstone daisy?
Seed seller Samuel Ryder named it in 1928 after the explorer David Livingstone.
When does it flower?
In its native South Africa, it blooms from late winter to spring, between July and October.
Is it easy to grow in gardens?
Yes, it is a popular annual for summer bedding in frost-free areas with good drainage and plenty of sun.
What do the leaves look like?
They are flat, green or slightly maroon, rounded at the tip, and covered in shiny bladder cells that store water.
Good reading and sources
- Cleretum bellidiformeRoyal Horticultural Society, Article
- Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
- Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
- Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database
- Cleretum bellidiforme on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Cleretum bellidiforme", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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