DAISIES

DAISIES

Daisies belong to the daisy family of Compositae, now known as Asteraceae in flowering plants. Daisies are native to north and central Europe.

The origin of the word Daisy is the Anglo Saxon “daes eage” which literally mean “day’s eye”. It was called this because daisies open at dawn as the day just starts to begin.

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Anthophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Asterales

Family

Asteraceae

Genus

Bellis

A Daisy symbolizes innocence and purity. It can also symbolize new beginnings. The flower meaning of daisy is “loyal love”and “I will never tell”.

Some Interesting Facts about Daisies

• A Daisy is a perennial whose evergreen leaves form a basal tuft or a rosette.
• Daisy flower plant has a prostrate fashion or a growing habit of spreading.
• Daisies can be propagated by division in spring or through sowing seeds in spring or late autumn.
• English Daisy is a serious weed in the northwest United States.
• The Daisy flowers open at dawn and are visited by many small insects.
• Daisies are used by children to make daisy chains.
• The Daisy's leaves are edible and can be used in salads.

About the Daisy Plant and Flower

A Daisy flower is composed of white petals and a yellow center, although the flower can sometimes have a pink or rose color.

Daisies are not made of just one flower. A Daisy is made up of two types of flowers - disk florets and petal-like white ray florets. The disk florets are at the center and the ray florets are at the periphery but they are arranged to give the impression of being a single flower. This arrangement on Daisies is a type of inflorescence known as a capitulum.

The stems of Daisies are smooth and leafless and support a single flower. Daisy plants have 3 - 4 inch flower stalks. The Daisy leaf texture varies and may be smooth or hairy, narrow at the base and slightly lobed. The Daisy flower stalks are generally longer than the leaves.

Varieties of Daisies

Some of the varieties of Daisies are the white Daisy-like flowers, the Spanish Daisy, Blue Daisy, Lazy Daisy or Prairie Daisy, African Daisy, Michaelmas Daisy, Swan River Daisy, Tatarian Daisy, Painted Daisy, Paris Daisy, Shasta Daisy, Crown-Daisy, Ox-eye Daisy, Nippon Oxeye Daisy, Giant Daisy, African Daisy, Kingfisher Daisy, Sunshine Daisy, Gerbera Daisy, Transvaal Daisy or Barberton Daisy, Tahoka Daisy, Livingstone Daisy, Gloriosa Daisy, Dahlberg Daisy and Butter Daisy.

Growing Daisies

Daisies can be grown very easily. Daisies are hard perennials.

• Daisies are commonly grown from seeds. Daisies can be directly seeded into the flowerbed.
• Plant Daisies during a full sun.
• Select a sunny location where they can grow undisturbed for years.
• Before planting, add generous amounts of manure and compost so that the soil becomes rich and well drained.
• If Daisies are planted in an area which is too hot, they should be shaded and watered regularly.
• Set the plants about 9 to 12 inches apart.
• Water the plants regularly during dry periods.
• Add a general purpose fertilizer in the early growth stage, and once a month afterwards.

Care for Daisies

• Generally Daisies are not bothered by insects and disease.
• If bothered by insects and disease, treat Daisies with an insecticidal soap or a fungicide.
• Just before blooming, use a fertilizer high in phosphorous as it helps to promote big, bright blooms.
• In cold weather regions, provide a thick layer of mulch for winter protection.

If you wish to know more about growing daisies and other flowers a good book on gardening would be a good thing to invest in. View books on Gardening