The mass of stuff in the centre of the flower head will be the seeds.
I collected the seed heads from my own gazanias last year. In fact I left it very very late. I was not intending to collect the seed, but when it came to clearing away the dead flowers, I thought I'd keep the seed heads. I sowed them around mid-February and was absolutely delighted with what came up. They were easy to germinate and the display is as colourful as the parents were.
Mine, this year, are still in full flower, although they're closed up today because it's raining. I don't know if the continual poor weather will affect the viability of this year's seed. You need nice weather for the flowers to be pollinated and for the seed to ripen properly.
I didn't make any attempt to remove the fluffy bit. The flower heads were dry when I removed them. That's important. Then I simply crumbled the seed heads to separate the individuals seeds, and sowed the whole lot on the top of some compost, and that was it.
My understanding was that the fluffy thing acted a bit like the fluff on a dandelion flower head and was a sort of parachute that caught the wind and helped the seeds fly away. I didn't try to interfere with it.
I've just taken a fresh look at my plants. I don't have anything remotely ressembling a harvestable seed head. Most of the plants are still in flower. There are a couple that have finished flowering. But the flower heads on those seem to be a squashy mess. I don't know whether they will dry out and firm up. I doubt it.
Although we've had poor weather, I have noticed plenty of pollinators on my gazanias this year, so I don't really think that pollination will be a problem. I took these snaps showing pollinators at work, a few days ago....
Have you tried keeping the original plants? I have some yellow ones I've had for about 3 or 4 years. I keep them in pots and overwinter them near the window in a cool, frost free cellar.
Have you tried keeping the original plants? ... I keep them in pots and overwinter them ...
That's an interesting idea. I might try that.
The seeds are very easy to germinate, so it's not worth it from that point of view. But presumably you get much earlier and longer display, and you can also keep any plants that have particularly striking patterns or colours that you like.
Hi Gary. I try to overwinter as many plants as I can as I am not very disciplined trying to grow new ones from seed! I have a large cellar with windows so I've got plenty of space. Maybe I'll try growing gazania from seed next Spring - just to see if I can do it!
Well if you're keeping the plants, then presumably you'll get plenty of dry seed heads. I left mine till the Spring before collecting them, and simply sprinkled them on some compost, and presto - lots of new plants.
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Do you have white fluffy strands, the seed should be attached to the end of them.
The mass of stuff in the centre of the flower head will be the seeds.
I collected the seed heads from my own gazanias last year. In fact I left it very very late. I was not intending to collect the seed, but when it came to clearing away the dead flowers, I thought I'd keep the seed heads. I sowed them around mid-February and was absolutely delighted with what came up. They were easy to germinate and the display is as colourful as the parents were.
Mine, this year, are still in full flower, although they're closed up today because it's raining. I don't know if the continual poor weather will affect the viability of this year's seed. You need nice weather for the flowers to be pollinated and for the seed to ripen properly.
Could it be that my flowers have not been polinated as I still cant see any seeds on the the end of the fluffy strands.
I didn't make any attempt to remove the fluffy bit. The flower heads were dry when I removed them. That's important. Then I simply crumbled the seed heads to separate the individuals seeds, and sowed the whole lot on the top of some compost, and that was it.
My understanding was that the fluffy thing acted a bit like the fluff on a dandelion flower head and was a sort of parachute that caught the wind and helped the seeds fly away. I didn't try to interfere with it.
I've just taken a fresh look at my plants. I don't have anything remotely ressembling a harvestable seed head. Most of the plants are still in flower. There are a couple that have finished flowering. But the flower heads on those seem to be a squashy mess. I don't know whether they will dry out and firm up. I doubt it.
Although we've had poor weather, I have noticed plenty of pollinators on my gazanias this year, so I don't really think that pollination will be a problem. I took these snaps showing pollinators at work, a few days ago....
Thank you both for your help
Have you tried keeping the original plants? I have some yellow ones I've had for about 3 or 4 years. I keep them in pots and overwinter them near the window in a cool, frost free cellar.
That's an interesting idea. I might try that.
The seeds are very easy to germinate, so it's not worth it from that point of view. But presumably you get much earlier and longer display, and you can also keep any plants that have particularly striking patterns or colours that you like.
Some of mine did survive last winter in the garden.
Hi Gary. I try to overwinter as many plants as I can as I am not very disciplined trying to grow new ones from seed! I have a large cellar with windows so I've got plenty of space. Maybe I'll try growing gazania from seed next Spring - just to see if I can do it!
Well if you're keeping the plants, then presumably you'll get plenty of dry seed heads. I left mine till the Spring before collecting them, and simply sprinkled them on some compost, and presto - lots of new plants.