Gazania (Gazania linearis)
Gazania is a member of the Daisy family and has large clumps of yellow, and orange flowers. These are present from Winter to the early Summer.
After you read this you will be able to:
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Identify Gazania sp.
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Know its habitat.
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Know the best control options.
This weed is an annual in cool climates, and in warmer climates like Sydney, a short-lived perennial. Gazania is an environmental weed in VIC, TAS and SA. In parts of WA and NSW it is an emerging or potential environmental weed. The images on this page were taken in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney in 2023.
Gazania flowers are light-sensitive, and the flowers close up at night and on cloudy days. This is called nyctinasty. and you can also see this in Morning Glory and Wood Sorrel.
It spreads by short, underground stems, and is very tolerant of frost, drought and saline soils.
Gazania Identification.
It is a drought-tolerant perennial herb with a system of shallow-rooted rhizomes.
Flowers: The flowers are yellow or orange, and are 5 to 9 cm across.
Leaf shape: The leaves are lance shaped, and lobed
Leaf edge: The leaves are smooth and not toothed or divided in any way.
Height: Gazania are up to 30 cm tall.
Leaf length: They are long and thin and 5 to 10 cm long
Leaf width: The leaves are 3 to 20 mm wide.
Reproduction: Gazania spreads by seed and vegetatively.
Comments: The leaves are bright green to dark green or silver on top, and very hairy underneath. An average plant produces large numbers of seeds. It spreads by animals, water and human activity.
Habitat: You often see Gazania in disturbed sandy areas such as roadsides and coastal dunes. It prefers exposed and sunny sites, and is thought to have allelopathic properties.
How to remove Gazania from your lawn.
Cultural control.
- Hand pull or use a weeding tool to ensure the underground rhizome is removed with the plant.
- Manually remove all year round prior to seed set. Cut off flowerheads at the end of flowering to reduce spread via the wind.
- It is important to remove all roots and dispose of them to avoid regrowth. You should bag off the flower heads, and then remove them off site. Be aware that the flower heads can still develop into mature flower heads, and produce masses of viable seed.
- Mowing is not effective unless repeated regularly and close to the ground.
Chemical control of Gazania.
Currently nothing is registered for selective Gazania control in turf.
Non Selective Control.
The best time to apply herbicides is in the Autumn or Spring, but you will get good results any time the plants are actively growing.
- Permit 13371 (exp.2027) allows the use of Glyphosate. Spray plants until just wet with a mix of 25 mL Glyphosate (800 g/Kg) in 10 L water plus 25 mL of Scrubwet.
- For roadside and overall spraying use 200 g/ha of Clopyralid plus 0.25% v/v of a wetting agent like Optispread 1000.
If you use glyphosate and have water quality concerns we recommend you use ProForce Manta Ray.
Other non selective options for Gazania include:
