Chrysocoma ciliata is a small to medium-sized shrub with a bushy growth and yellow flowerheads that provides a textural contrast in the garden. Dead heading and pruning must be done after flowering, to maintain the plant’s compact shape. It requires full sun and a well-drained soil. Before planting, prepare the planting area by adding compost and bonemeal into the planting hole and water.

In the winter-rainfall region, this plant must be planted in early winter at the start of the rainy season. The rainy season allows the plants to establish themselves in the garden, then enabling them to cope with drought and less water in summer. Add a layer of mulch after planting to keep the soil temperature low. Mulch retains soil moisture and helps with the suppression of the germination of weed seeds.

Chrysocoma ciliata can be propagated by both seeds and cuttings, in the same way as C. coma-aurea. In the Kirstenbosch Plant Production Nursery, this plant is only propagated by cuttings. Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken from the current year’s growth in early August; cutting material is harvested from a healthy stock plant, free of pests and diseases, in the early morning while the plant is still in its turgid phase. Meristem tip cuttings are the healthiest and the give the best rooting results. The cuttings are immediately placed in a bucket of water to avoid them from drying out.

Prepare the cutting by making a clean cut below a node, and remove the third bottom of the foliage to reduce the rate of transpiration. Dip the base of the cutting into a rooting hormone such as Seradix 2. Firmly place the cutting in a well-drained medium of 1 parts perlite and 2-part sieved bark. The cuttings are sprayed with a fungicide to prevent damping-off disease; this is done on a weekly basis.

The cuttings can be placed in a well-aerated, propagation unit or mist house bed with heating underneath. Rooting occurs from 5 to 8 weeks. Once the rooted cuttings have been hardened off, the plantlets can be potted, adding a little bonemeal per plant, into any average, well-drained potting soil. Plants must be placed under 40% shade net for hardening-off, for a period of 4 weeks. Once the young plants are well established, plant out into the garden. Plants will be ready for planting in 7 to 8 months. Feed plants regularly with an organic fertilizer.