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Coastal Blue Felicia (Felicia amelloides), whole plant
  • Coastal Blue Felicia — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Coastal Blue Felicia — seasonal appearance
  • Coastal Blue Felicia in a garden setting

Coastal Blue Felicia

Felicia amelloides

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Coastal Blue Felicia

Blue Marguerite is a South African tender perennial grown as an annual across most of the US, beloved for its clear sky-blue daisy flowers with sunny yellow centers. Growing 12 to 24 inches tall in bushy form with small oval leaves, it blooms continuously from spring through frost in cool-summer regions. A signature cool-season container flower and cut-flower favorite in California and coastal American gardens.

  • Drought-tolerant
  • Deer-resistant
  • Container-friendly
  • Long-blooming
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to 20°F (-7°C)
USDA hardiness zones 9–11

How to care for Coastal Blue Felicia

Watering

  • Springevery 5 days
  • Summerevery 4 days
  • Fallevery 7 days
  • Winterevery 10 days

Soil · Well-draining

  • Top dressingPine bark mulch10%
  • Main mixPotting soil + perlite 2:170%
  • DrainageLECA / gravel20%

Never skip the drainage layer — standing water is the top cause of root rot.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 30 days
  • Summerevery 30 days
  • Fallevery 30 days
Get watering reminders for Coastal Blue Felicia — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • NativeAfrica
  • Height1–2 ft (0.3–0.6 m)
  • Spread1–2 ft (0.3–0.6 m)
  • Flower colorBlue
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • SoilLoamy, Well-drained, Sandy
  • LocationsBalcony · Yard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

Mar–Nov

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Sky-blue daisies spring to frost in cool climates

Toxicity

Toxicity unknown

None reported

Unknown

EXPOSURE Unspecified plant material.

EFFECT Toxic effects are not specified.

NOTE Toxicity for humans is not well documented; use caution until verified.

Unknown

EXPOSURE Unspecified plant material.

EFFECT Toxic effects are not specified.

NOTE Toxicity for dogs is not well documented; use caution until verified.

Unknown

EXPOSURE Unspecified plant material.

EFFECT Toxic effects are not specified.

NOTE Toxicity for cats is not well documented; use caution until verified.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

DISTRIBUTION

Coastal Blue Felicia · Native
  • Native
  • Africa

History

Illustrated historical scene for Coastal Blue Felicia

Felicia amelloides, commonly called blue marguerite or blue daisy, is a low evergreen subshrub native to coastal regions of South Africa's Eastern and Western Cape. Swedish botanist Olof Swartz originally described the species in the late 18th century, and German botanist Christian Friedrich Voss established the genus Felicia in 1817, naming it for 19th-century German civil servant Herr Felix. The plant produces a tidy 30 to 40 centimeter mound of rough oval leaves and nearly continuous crops of sky-blue daisy flowers with bright yellow centers.

Gardeners in Mediterranean climates including California, southern France, Australia, and South Africa itself prize the plant for its long cool-season bloom. Cultivars such as Midnight, Read's Blue, and Santa Anita remain staples of container and border plantings. Still a premier cool-season container and border flower in the Bay Area and Pacific Northwest.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

Coastal Blue Felicia opens daisy flowers of pure, almost heraldic blue, and so its meaning is clear sky, a small piece of cloudless heaven set into the border. Native to the South African coast, it is also a plant of coastal grace, thriving in mild Mediterranean climates where sea air and gentle winters meet. In the cottage garden it is the quiet weather report, blooming brightest when the day itself is open, fresh and at its best.

  • Clear sky — pure sky-blue flower color
  • Coastal grace — thrives in mild Mediterranean climates

Where the Name Comes From

'Felicia' possibly honors Herr Felix, a German official, or from Latin 'felix' meaning happy; 'amelloides' means resembling Aster amellus.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Sky-blue daisies on long stems for summer bouquets
  • Tidy mounding habit suits sunny patio planters

Related plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Coastal Blue Felicia?

In summer, water about every 4 days; in winter, about every 10 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Coastal Blue Felicia need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Coastal Blue Felicia toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Unknown (Dogs Unknown · Cats Unknown) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Coastal Blue Felicia easy to grow?

Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.

When does Coastal Blue Felicia bloom?

It typically blooms Mar–Nov in the Northern Hemisphere.

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