Osteospermum is an annual grown for its blooms, which open from spring through fall. It's hardy across USDA zones 2 through 11, shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Zones
2-11
pH Range
5.5-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
60
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What Osteospermum is
Osteospermum grows as an annual and reaches around two feet at maturity. It blooms from spring through fall. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
How to grow Osteospermum
Osteospermum grows in USDA zones 2 through 11. Osteospermum does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,100 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 60 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
2-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Days to Maturity
60 days
Growable Ground plant catalog
GDD Required
1100+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
2 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
60+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant osteospermum in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun. It grows in the cool halves of the year, so sow it in spring or late summer rather than waiting for midsummer heat.
Match the soil
Osteospermum prefers pH 5.5 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut osteospermum blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — osteospermum isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Osteospermum offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators.
Where Osteospermum thrives
On hardiness alone, osteospermum grows across most of the country — its range (USDA zones 2 through 11) is unusually wide. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 2–11·Where Osteospermum growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Osteospermum can grow in these states:
See if Osteospermum will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether osteospermum actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Osteospermum in my zone?
Osteospermum grows in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 11 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Osteospermum?
Osteospermum is a cool-season crop, so it goes in during the cool halves of the year — early spring, and again in late summer for a fall planting — rather than at the height of summer heat. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Osteospermum need?
Osteospermum needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Osteospermum need?
Osteospermum prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Osteospermum attract pollinators?
Yes — osteospermum's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Is Osteospermum safe for pets?
Osteospermum is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)