Delairea is a plant genus within the family Asteraceae that is native to South Africa. It is classified within the tribe Senecioneae. It contains only one species, Delairea odorata, which was previously included in the genus Senecio as Senecio mikanioides.[4] It is known as Cape ivy in some parts of the world (US) and German ivy[5] in others (Britain, Ireland).
Delairea odorata has 2 to 4 -inch multi-lobed leaves that somewhat resemble those of the unrelated English ivy. Its flowers are yellow, which lack the petal-like ray florets found in typical daisies. It is a vine that climbs up trees and will reach heights of five metres in suitable climates. Given time it will smother trees.
The name Cape ivy is also used ambiguously for Senecio angulatus, a different but related creeper. Both ‘angulatus’ and ‘delairea’ have incorrectly been listed as synonyms over history, and these species have been confused regularly despite the visual differences. Senecio tamoides is another similar looking plant in the same tribe, which is often mistaken for the two aforementioned species.
A feature that distinguishes it from Senecio angulatus are the small appendages at the base of the stalks of the leaves that are shaped like an ear and its pompom-like, fuzzy flowers, whereas ‘angulatus’ and ‘tamoides’ have daisy-like flowers.
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