What type of plant is this
By Whatplant
United Kingdom 
I have a deep purple plant which has osteospermum type flowers but almost holly shaped green leaves. can anyone identify it and if possible advise on aftercare. It is still flowering but is looking very straggly and I wanted to know if it should be cut back.
5 Nov, 2008
Answers
sounds like it prob is an osteo, maybe a hardy variety like barbata.
smell the foliage, if it has a strange smell then it maywell be one.
andy x
7 Nov, 2008
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Without a photo it's hard to say for certain, but it could well be an Osteospermum - some of the ones I put in this year have serrated edged leaves! You haven't said where you are in the UK. I am in a mild-ish area and here, some years, they survive...if there's a hard frost, they die. I would let the flowers die off and then just cut off the dead stems. The more of the plant that's left, the better - like Penstemons. It could then be cut back to new growth in the spring. If it's very precious, you could always use some fleece around it for protection.
Good luck - and if you are sure it's not an Osteospermum, please post a photo for us to ID.
5 Nov, 2008