Growing Australian native daisies by colour and climate
Australian native daisies can be found in almost every environment; clinging to coastal cliffs, carpeting alpine meadows, popping up in arid inland landscapes and thriving in suburban verges.
Part of the surprise lies in what a daisy actually is. The daisy family, Asteraceae, is one of the largest and most diverse plant families on Earth. While many species fit the familiar daisy shape (a central disc surrounded by petal-like rays), others are wonderfully strange, architectural or textural.
Australia is home to hundreds of native daisies, many of which are incredibly tough, long-flowering and well suited to modern gardens, including small urban spaces, pots and dry climates. Grouping them by colour not only makes them easier to design with, it also reveals just how varied and beautiful our native flora really is.
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White and soft cream native daisies
Many white native daisies reflect sunlight, helping protect delicate flower parts from intense heat. Their light-coloured petals and bracts reflect available light at dawn, dusk and on overcast days, making them easier for insects to locate when visibility is reduced. This helps support pollinators outside peak daylight hours, especially in cooler seasons. Use white daisies to soften bold foliage or pair them with silver-leafed natives like saltbush or eremophila for a coastal feel.
1. Tall daisy (Brachyscome diversifolia)
Container friendlyA perennial with white to pale lilac rays and a yellow centre. It forms loose clumps and flowers for long periods, especially in cooler months. The stems are upright and airy, giving the plant an open, relaxed presence that works well in both formal and naturalistic plantings. Excellent for cottage-style native gardens and mass planting along garden edges.
2. Winged everlasting (Ammobium alatum)
An annual or short-lived perennial with papery white bracts surrounding a bright yellow centre. Exceptionally hardy and drought tolerant, it is famous for its longevity as a cut or dried flower, holding its form and colour for months after harvest. This species evolved to thrive in poor soils and harsh sun, flowering freely and setting seed efficiently before conditions deteriorate. It is one of the easiest everlastings to grow from seed scattered directly onto prepared soil.
3. Flannel cudweed (Actinobole uliginosum)
Known for its soft, velvety grey foliage, this small annual is as tactile as it is visually distinctive. The woolly leaves help insulate the plant against heat and cold, while the dense surface texture reduces moisture loss in the arid and semi-arid environments where it naturally occurs. Small white flower heads sit close to the foliage, giving the plant a compact, cushion-like quality that reads beautifully at ground level in a wildflower planting.
4. Hoary sunray (Leucochrysum albicans)
A tall, upright perennial with silvery foliage and pale, papery flowers held well above the leaves. Its strong vertical form and tolerance for exposure make it feel more architectural than floral. It grows in open grassland and grassy woodland across south-eastern Australia, tolerating dry conditions, light frost and the kind of open, windswept positions where softer plants struggle. The white papery bracts persist long after flowering, extending its season of interest well into summer.
Allthingsnative, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5. White strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum)
A striking option with crisp white papery bracts surrounding a golden centre. Exceptionally resilient, it evolved to withstand heat, drought and open exposure and its long-lasting blooms make it as practical as it is beautiful. The papery texture of the bracts means the flowers dry naturally on the plant, making it one of the best Australian daisies for cutting and bringing indoors. It self-seeds gently in the right conditions, returning year after year without becoming a nuisance.
6. White burr daisy (Calotis dentex)
This lesser-known native daisy produces crisp white flowers with bold yellow centres, followed by distinctive burr-like seed heads that give the plant its name. Its life cycle reflects a classic Australian strategy; flower quickly, set seed efficiently and persist through variability. The burr seed heads cling lightly to fur, feathers and clothing, dispersing widely across the landscape and allowing the plant to establish in new patches after disturbance.
Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Yellow and gold native daisies
Yellow is the most common daisy colour in Australia and for good reason. Yellow native daisies act as visual landing beacons for pollinators. Their high contrast is easily detected by native bees, beetles and flies, even in harsh midday light. In open Australian landscapes where flowers may be sparse, these daisies help pollinators locate food efficiently, conserving energy and increasing pollination success. Many yellow daisies flower after fire or disturbance, taking advantage of open ground and nutrient release. Use them sparingly as highlights or mass plant them for a bold, impactful effect in large spaces.
1. Yam daisy (Microseris walteri)
A perennial with cheerful yellow flowers and deep cultural significance. Once an important food source for First Nations peoples across south-eastern Australia, the starchy tuberous roots were roasted and eaten; the plant is sometimes called the murnong for this reason. In the garden it forms a low rosette of strappy leaves and produces flowers in spring on slender upright stems. It tolerates dry conditions once established and suits grassy or meadow-style plantings where it can naturalise over time.
2. Billy buttons (Craspedia globosa and related species)
Container friendlyIconic golden spheres held aloft on slender, leafless stems. The perfectly round flower heads are unlike almost anything else in the Australian flora, sitting at the top of long stalks with an almost geometric precision. These perennials are incredibly tough, tolerating clay, drought and light frost across a wide range of climates. They are long-lasting in both fresh and dried arrangements and attract native bees reliably during their spring flowering season. A native garden staple that consistently earns its place.
3. Woolly buttons (Trichanthodium skirrophorum)
A small Australian native daisy with compact, button-like yellow flower heads and softly hairy foliage. Its sculptural form and understated colour make it feel more textural than floral, revealing how some daisies prioritise structure and efficiency over showiness. It is a plant of open arid and semi-arid country, adapted to thin soils and intense sun, and performs best in gardens that reflect those conditions; lean soil, excellent drainage and full exposure.
Russell Best, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
4. Scaly buttons (Leptorhynchos squamatus)
A low-growing perennial daisy with tight, yellow button flowers and fine, grey-green foliage. Often found in grasslands and open woodlands across south-eastern Australia, it demonstrates how native daisies can be subtle, resilient and perfectly adapted to lean soils and exposure. It is an important part of grassy ecosystem plantings and provides nectar for small native bees that are unable to access larger, tubular flowers.
Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5. Golden everlasting (Xerochrysum bracteatum)
An annual or short-lived perennial with large, vibrant yellow flowers that catch the eye from a distance. It thrives in difficult conditions and is often one of the first plants to recolonise disturbed ground, flowering rapidly and setting seed before other species establish. The golden form is the most commonly grown and one of the most rewarding, producing flowers over a long period that hold their colour and form both on the plant and in a vase. A standout in wildflower mixes and informal borders alike.
6. Yellow buttons (Chrysocephalum apiculatum)
Container friendlyA low-growing perennial with clusters of small yellow flowers and aromatic, silver-grey foliage. One of the most broadly adaptable of all Australian native daisies, it occurs across every state and tolerates a wide range of soils and climate conditions. The flowers are produced almost continuously through the warmer months, making it one of the longest-flowering groundcovers available. It spreads steadily to form a dense mat that suppresses weeds effectively and stays tidy with only the occasional trim.
Pink native daisies
Pink native daisies are often delicate in appearance but surprisingly resilient. Many pink-hued Australian native daisies intensify or soften in colour depending on light, temperature and soil stress. In harsher conditions (bright sun, poor soils or cooler nights) pigments called anthocyanins become more concentrated, deepening pink and mauve tones. These pigments also help protect plant tissues from UV radiation and temperature extremes. Pink native daisies pair beautifully with grasses and fine-textured plants, creating movement and a soft, layered feel.
1. Swan River daisy (Brachyscome iberidifolia)
Container friendlyAn annual famous for its pastel pink and mauve tones, produced in such abundance that the fine foliage almost disappears beneath the flowers. It is easy to grow from seed scattered directly onto the soil surface, fast-flowering and ideal for pots, hanging baskets and the front of borders. The flowers attract small native bees and hoverflies reliably and the plant performs well in both warm and cool temperate conditions as long as drainage is reasonable.
Deadheading native daisies
The best time to deadhead Australian native daisies is as soon as the petals begin to fade but before the seed head fully dries. This redirects the plant's energy back into producing new flower buds rather than setting seed. If you are growing everlasting daisies and want to collect seed for next season, leave a handful of spent flowers on the plant until they are completely dry and papery before harvesting.
2. Pink paper daisy (Rhodanthe chlorocephala subsp. rosea)
A classic spring annual with bright pink papery bracts surrounding a white centre. One of the most recognisable of all Australian wildflowers, it thrives in poor soils and rewards minimal care. The papery texture of the petals develops as the flower matures, allowing the blooms to be cut and dried with the colour intact. It is best grown from seed sown in autumn in cool to temperate climates and performs particularly well in free-draining sandy or gravelly soils.
3. Mangle's everlasting (Rhodanthe manglesii)
A Western Australian annual with vivid pink to deep rose papery bracts and a yellow centre. One of the most striking of all Australian everlasting daisies, it performs reliably in poor, well-drained soils and full sun. Like other everlastings, it holds its colour long after cutting, making it an excellent choice for dried arrangements as well as garden display. It is closely related to the pink paper daisy but has nodding flower heads and slightly finer stems, giving it a more delicate appearance in the garden.
bmichanderson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
4. Pink clusters everlasting (Schoenia cassiniana)
A lesser-known annual with soft pink blooms and fine, upright foliage. The flowers form in loose clusters at the stem tips rather than as single heads, giving the plant a slightly different texture to the classic everlasting. It germinates readily from seed after autumn rain and flowers through late winter and spring, making it particularly valuable in the garden at a time when colour is scarce. Beautiful in wildflower meadows and naturalistic gardens.
Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5. Minuria (Minuria scoparia)
A small, upright native daisy with tight pink to mauve button-like flower heads and fine, needle-like foliage. Often found in arid and semi-arid regions across inland Australia, it demonstrates how native daisies have evolved compact, water-efficient blooms rather than open petals. The narrow leaves reduce moisture loss in dry conditions and the plant tolerates alkaline and sandy soils that challenge many other daisies. It is a rewarding choice for low-water gardens in warmer, drier climates.
Lachlan Copeland, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Purple, blue and mauve native daisies
This colour group showcases some of Australia's most striking daisies, many of which rival exotic ornamentals. In many Australian native daisies, blue and purple pigments act as natural sunscreen. These compounds reduce cellular damage from UV exposure, helping flowers last longer, retain colour and remain attractive to pollinators in high-light environments. Use purple and blue daisies to add depth and contrast; they work especially well with yellow-flowering natives for dramatic colour interplay.
1. Cut-leaf daisy (Brachyscome multifida)
Container friendly
A hardy perennial with finely divided foliage and violet to lavender flowers produced prolifically over a long season from late winter through to autumn. It is one of the most broadly adaptable native daisies available, tolerating coastal exposure, clay soils, dry spells and light frost. The mounded habit stays tidy with only an occasional light trim after the main flush of flowering. One of the most reliable choices for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
2. Woolly New Holland daisy (Vittadinia gracilis)
Naturally found in grasslands and open woodland across much of Australia, this species is more subtle than many nursery favourites but exceptionally well adapted to Australian conditions. The small, woolly flower heads produce mauve to purple rays around a yellow centre, held on fine stems above softly hairy foliage. It tolerates poor soils, dry conditions and open exposure and is an important plant for ground-level insects in grassland restoration plantings.
DavidFrancis34 from Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3. Native blue daisy (Brachyscome angustifolia)
Container friendlyCompact and floriferous, with soft blue-purple blooms produced over a long season from late winter through summer. It forms a low, spreading mound of fine foliage and flowers so freely that the leaves can be difficult to see during peak flowering. One of the best native daisies for edging paths, spilling over low walls or filling the front of a border. It also performs reliably in containers and is one of the most container-tolerant plants in this genus.
4. Purple burr daisy (Calotis cuneifolia)
A compact native daisy with mauve-pink flowers and distinctive burr-like seed heads that cling lightly to passing animals, dispersing the plant efficiently across the landscape. Its spiky, textural form feels far removed from the classic daisy shape, revealing a tougher, more utilitarian side of the daisy family. It grows in open grasslands, rocky slopes and disturbed ground across a wide range of climates and tolerates dry, alkaline conditions that would finish most other daisies.
Poyt448, Peter Woodard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5. Rough daisy bush (Olearia asterotricha)
A robust Australian native daisy shrub with clusters of small purple to white flowers held above coarse, textured foliage. Unlike soft, meadow-style daisies, rough daisy bush has a strong, upright form and a distinctly rugged character, shaped by its origins in cooler, forested landscapes of south-eastern Australia. It is more structurally useful than most daisies, functioning as a mid-storey shrub that provides cover for birds as well as nectar. Its combination of bold leaves and subtle flowering highlights a tougher, more enduring side of the daisy family.
Planting tools for success
Australian native daisies thrive with minimal intervention, but a few simple tools make establishment easier, especially in pots and small gardens. A well-balanced potting trowel makes planting gentler and helps avoid compacting soil around young roots, which matters because free-draining soil is key for most native daisies. Sharp secateurs make light work of deadheading; clean, precise cuts reduce plant stress and help prevent disease. Terracotta ollas provide slow, consistent watering at root level, ideal for natives that dislike wet soil at the surface. And for annual and short-lived species, seed bombs offer an easy, low-effort way to introduce native daisies; they protect seed until conditions are right, mimicking how many species establish naturally after rain.
Why native daisies are such a great choice
Australian native daisies are resilient, water-wise and perfectly adapted to our soils and climate. Many are perennial, returning year after year with minimal input. Others are annuals that self-seed gently, creating evolving displays without becoming invasive.
They support native insects, birds and soil health while offering extraordinary diversity in form, texture and colour. From neat pots to wild meadows, there is a native daisy suited to almost every garden style and scale.
Perhaps most importantly, they challenge the idea that native plants are dull or limiting. Once you begin to notice their diversity and beauty, it becomes clear that Australian daisies are not an alternative to traditional garden flowers; they are the original, the resilient and the most honest expression of place.
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A Guide to Australian Native Gardening
How to plan, plant and care for a thriving native garden, whatever your experience level.
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