Sorry no picture - just a description. I have the RHS encyclopedia to identify/discount any suggestions. Plant has flower approx same size and appearance as a non-spoon petalled osteospermum, but is fully hardy. Flower is white above,purple below. Plant is perennial and self-propagating by natural layering wherever stems touch ground, and produces multitude of very strong shallow roots from these points. Leaves are not dissimilar in shape but larger than aptenia cordifolia ( mesambryanthemum family). Have not tried to grow from seed or cuttings - but is easy to divide by cutting lengths of runner with roots attached. One small root grows to a clump of about a foot in diameter in one season. Flowers sparsely but continuously from Spring to first frosts. It appears to be quite common in local gardens here in the UK but no one who has it locally knows what it is. Does anyone have any ideas please? Thanks in advance for any suggestions Malcolm
Some osteospermums persist here as well. I wouldn't rule that out just because it has been overwintering there.
Thanks Ron However my understanding is that Osteospermums do not spread by runners,except for one species which is pink not white. I have also checked genus Dimorpheca which is similar but these are all tender. I admit though that the plant is almost in every way similar to an Osteospermum - perhaps it is a species or cultivar not mentioned in the RHS encyclopedia. I admit to being stumped and not a little frustrated, It appears to survive despite rather than because of my attentions - as I really have no idea how to take care of it. It came as clump from my late Father's garden( he didn't know what it was either!) - and if not controlled I am sure it would eventually overrun the garden. Back to the drawing board! Thanks again Malcolm
Can't do photo. Have chopped it back for the winter! Will try again in the Spring ( providing of course that it survives. Our winter here in the UKappears to be colder than for several years - despite global warming. Malcolm
I have also seen this form of Osteospermum in the gardens of the south east, im 99.9% sure it is an Osteospermum. Maybe a white flowered form of O. jucundum, RHS book says it spreads by surface rhizomes.
I think i may have found the variety Osteospermum ecklonis var. prostratum also known as Osteospermum White pim
Hi Oscar I think you might be correct with the last suggestion. It is allegedly tender,but I have seen a note on the net from a gardener that it tolerates temperatures to -8C and that it is easy to propagate from spreading surface shoots. Either he has got it wrongly identified. or Bingo! I had always understood it to be an osteospermum but after I got the RHS encyclopedia ( present from Wife!) - I got all confused. I am now 95% convinced so shall treat it as such. Thanks to everyone who looked even if you did not reply, or did notfind anything - I will be back! Malcolm
