Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower (Treasure Flower) care

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Full sun is essential — at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Gazania flowers open only in bright sunlight and close at night and on cloudy days; plants in shade produce almost no flowers. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for daybreak red stripe treasure flower — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering daybreak red stripe treasure flower: when the top 3-5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-14 days. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Highly drought-tolerant once established; allow soil to dry significantly between waterings. Overwatering is the most frequent cause of failure. Container plants require more frequent checks in summer but should never sit in wet soil.

Soil and pot

Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower grows best in sandy, free-draining soil or cactus and succulent mix. Gazania thrives in lean, sandy or gritty soils with excellent drainage. Rich, fertile soils produce excess foliage and reduced flowering. Neutral to slightly alkaline pH (6.5–7.5). Add coarse grit to heavy soils. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower sits happiest at around 20-50% humidity and 10-35°C (50-95°F). Tolerates low humidity typical of coastal and Mediterranean climates. Excessive moisture in the air combined with wet soil encourages crown rot; plant in open, airy positions. If you keep the room above 10 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed daybreak red stripe treasure flower sparingly. Feed lightly — too much fertiliser (especially nitrogen) promotes leafy growth at the expense of flowers. A single application of balanced slow-release granules at planting is typically sufficient for garden plants. Container plants benefit from fortnightly high-potash feeding through summer. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on daybreak red stripe treasure flower in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Crown rot — The primary problem in wet or heavy soil; plant in sharply draining conditions and avoid wetting the crown.
• Aphids — Can colonise flower stems; treat with insecticidal soap or remove manually.
• Failure to flower — Almost always caused by insufficient sunlight; move to the sunniest available position.
• Powdery mildew — Occasional in warm, humid weather; improve spacing and air circulation.
• Slugs and snails — Young plants can be attacked at ground level; use copper tape barriers or iron phosphate pellets.

Companion plants

Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower pairs well with Osteospermum ecklonis, Portulaca grandiflora, and Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Raise from seed sown at 18-20°C in early spring, lightly covered, with germination in 8-14 days. Perennial types can be propagated from basal stem cuttings in late summer and overwintered under frost-free glass. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower is pet-safe. Gazania rigens is not listed by the ASPCA as toxic to dogs or cats. The genus is generally considered non-toxic and is regarded as pet-safe for typical garden use. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower deep-dive guides

Every aspect of daybreak red stripe treasure flower care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common daybreak red stripe treasure flower problems & fixes
• Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower watering schedule
• Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower light requirements
• Best soil mix for daybreak red stripe treasure flower
• Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower fertilizing guide
• When to repot daybreak red stripe treasure flower
• How to propagate daybreak red stripe treasure flower
• How to prune daybreak red stripe treasure flower
• What's eating my daybreak red stripe treasure flower?
• Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower growth rate & size
• Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower cold hardiness
• Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower temperature & humidity
• Is daybreak red stripe treasure flower toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is daybreak red stripe treasure flower toxic to cats?
• Is daybreak red stripe treasure flower toxic to dogs?
• All 7 Gazania varieties
• Getting daybreak red stripe treasure flower to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower qualifies for 12 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best pet-safe low-maintenance plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and forgiving of forgotten watering — the easiest safe choices for a busy pet household.
• Best pet-safe flowering plants — Flowering houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — colour and blooms in a pet home, without the worry.
• Best pet-safe plants for bright light — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in a bright, sunny spot — safe plants for your best-lit windowsill.
• Best small & tabletop houseplants — Compact houseplants that stay under about 40 cm — desk, shelf and windowsill plants that never outgrow a small space.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Best cat-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats (and dogs) — safe greenery for a home with a curious cat.
• Best dog-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs (and cats) — safe greenery for a home with a curious dog.
• Best small pet-safe plants — Compact, tabletop houseplants that are also ASPCA non-toxic to cats and dogs — safe greenery for a desk or shelf.
• Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Daybreak Red Stripe Treasure Flower is also known as Treasure Flower, Gazania, and South African Daisy.

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