(1943) Osteospermum moniliferum (synonym Chrysanthemoides monilifera) is an evergreen flowering shrub or small tree in the daisy family, Asteraceae.

[2] It is a member of the Asteraceae (daisy) family and has showy, bright yellow flowers in swirls of 5–8 'petals' (ray florets) up to 30 mm (1.2 in) in diameter.

[2] Bitou bush can be distinguished from boneseed in part due to its more rounded sprawling habit to 1.5–2 m (4.9–6.6 ft), less noticeably toothy leaf margins and seeds that are egg-like rather than spherical.

[9] Osteospermum moniliferum occurs naturally in coastal areas of South Africa, reaching into Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and southern Mozambique.

[5] Rapid, vigorous growth also means that O. moniliferum is capable of flowering and setting seed within 12–18 months,[13] making it extremely persistent even in situations where disturbance or regular management activity is common.

Furthermore, outside of Southern Africa the plant has few local, indigenous pathogens or predators to control its growth[5] also reducing the potential for gaps to emerge that might provide opportunities for other species to reestablish.

The net consequence of C. monilifera's growth characteristics is that outside of its natural ecosystem it can ultimately form large, dense, unhealthy stands of a single species with extraordinarily poor biodiversity.

[13][14] Seeds can also spread on vehicles and equipment, in contaminated soil, in garden waste, along water drainage lines and deliberately by human intervention.

[2] Osteospermum moniliferum, unlike many other weed species, is not generally considered to be a problem for agricultural productivity due to its sensitivity to trampling as well as being readily grazed by stock.

[5] Mechanical removal of O. moniliferum by tractor or other machinery can also be effective, but that process can be extremely indiscriminate, and is only recommended in areas of poor environmental values and minimal erosion risk.

[5] In a study carried out by researchers at the University of New England and published in 2017, it was found that a serious error was made with the introduction of biological control agents into Australia for C. moniliferum ssp.

After reviewing many hours of video footage of bitou bush flowers in Northern NSW, researchers at the School of Ecosystem Management[15] found that Mesoclanis polana is actually the most frequent pollinator of O.