With their sunny dispositions and vibrant colors, daisies are sweet ornaments that adorn gardens and bouquets with joy. The daisy flower is associated with friendship, cheerfulness, and new beginnings, so it’s long been a perfect gift for friends and loved ones.
These robust blooms are easy to grow despite their delicate appearance, making them an ideal choice for beginners and seasoned gardeners alike. Whether you’re new to growing daisies or looking to learn more about them, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about this beloved flower!
History
Daisy flowers grow on every continent around the world except Antarctica. To appreciate the bloom’s storied history, however, we must go back to around 2,200 B.C.E. when ancient Egyptians cultivated daisies in both their personal gardens and temple gardens.
Daisies were used medicinally in the ancient world. The flower was thought to heal wounds, ease bronchitis, and reduce inflammation. Wild daisies were even used to prevent childbirth complications.
According to etymologists, the daisy flower gets its name from the Old English phrase “day’s eye,” which was pronounced daes eage. Certain types of daisies, like the Gazania variety, only bloom at dawn and close again at night, which is probably why they were described as the “day’s eye.”
Planting
In general, daisies are low-maintenance flowers that are easy to grow. Having a basic understanding of common varieties and their needs will ensure your daisy flowers flourish.
With so many varieties available, how can you know which type of daisy is best suited to your backyard?
Daisies to Grow in Your Backyard
Daisies to Bring Amazing Color to Your Garden
In these posts, I’ll share my recommendations for the best kinds of daisies for all kinds of scenarios: easy to care for, fast growers, great for pollinator gardens, solutions for problem areas in the garden, best for landscaping, and many more!
Buying Seeds
Now that you know which daisy flowers you want to add to your garden, it’s time to buy the seeds. But where do you get started?
Daisy Seeds and Where to Buy Them
This post shares my favorite daisy seeds that meet various gardening needs. You’ll find recommendations for growing several varieties of daisies, creating a pollinator garden, easy beginner-friendly daisies, colorful mixed selections, and seeds when you’re on a budget!
If you’re in a hurry, take a look at the three I’ve highlighted here:
Growing
For the most part, growing daisy flowers is a straightforward process, even for beginners. While you should always defer to the growing recommendations for your particular daisy variety, there are a few general rules that apply to all varieties.
This is my guide on the eight most important things you need to know about growing healthy daisies. I ask questions that help you pick the right daisy for your garden, tell you when the best time is to plant, and go over ideal soil conditions and watering schedules.
We also provide information on fertilizing, deadheading, pests, and how to make sure your daisies come back year after year!
Where to Buy Daisy Flowers
One of the great things about daisy flowers is how readily available they are. Whether you’re shopping for seed packets or fully grown plants, you’ll find daisies at just about every garden department and online seed distributor. Finding a specific variety, however, might be a bit trickier.
In this post, I discuss buying daisy plants and seeds online from local nurseries and greenhouses, at big box home improvement garden centers, and at seed swaps or seed libraries.
Care
While there are a few exceptions, most daisies require the same basic methods to care for them:
This is my complete care guide that covers starting daisies from seed, planting your seedlings or starter plants, creating the right growing conditions for thriving daisy plants, and providing care throughout the growing season to get the most from your daisies.
Food & Fertilizer
Feeding your daisies the right flower food and fertilizer is crucial to ensuring they provide vibrant, colorful blooms all season long.
In general, most daisies grow well with an all-purpose fertilizer like the one listed below. Look for a fertilizer labeled “10-10-10” and you’re good to go!
Organic options such as Dr. Earth offer a variety of options, including all-purpose liquid fertilizer, premium concentrate fertilizer, and organic rose and flower fertilizer.
If you already have a good all-purpose fertilizer but want to add extra phosphate just before the daisies bloom, try adding phosphate.
Deadheading
Now that you have a better idea of how to cultivate daisy flowers, let’s talk about deadheading. Many hobbyist gardeners forgo pruning their plants, but deadheading strengthens your daisies and ensures they remain healthy for next spring.
In this guide, you’ll learn all about deadheading – what it is, how to do it, when to do it, and why your daisies will thank you for deadheading them!
Investing in a durable pair of garden shears is key to effectively deadheading daisy flowers.
Diseases & Pests
Pests
Like most flowering plants, daisies are susceptible to several diseases and pests. Knowing how to spot these issues can help you address them early or prevent them altogether.
Aphids, spider mites, and earwigs can do a lot of damage to your daisy flowers.
Aphids leave sticky residue on the leaves, causing them to curl up and wither. To combat aphids, use a natural pest spray to combat them.
Spider mites leave behind tiny brown or yellow spots and create spiderweb-like webbing on leaves. As with aphids, you can use a natural pest spray for spider mites, but using diatomaceous earth as a ground treatment provides added protection.
Earwigs, also known as pincher bugs, will eat living plant matter when their population gets out of control. While having some earwigs in your garden is a good thing (they eat aphids, worms, and insect eggs), too many will wreak havoc on your hard work.
Culling your garden’s earwig population is as easy as setting some bait. Mix two tablespoons of oat bran with one teaspoon of boric acid and place the mixture in a covered cardboard box punched with holes along the bottom sides. Set the box among your daisies. Within a week of eating the bait, the earwigs should start dying off.
Diseases
Avoid overwatering. When kept wet, daisies can develop mold and root rot, especially if they’re potted. When you first identify mold, dry the daisies in the sun and remove the potted plants so you can rinse the roots and remove any rotten debris.
Daisies can also develop leaf blotch, a fungal disease that causes discolored or dead areas in the leaves. To treat leaf blotch, prune the affected areas and keep the plant dry while it recovers. Start using a fungicide treatment or neem oil spray to keep the daisies healthy.
Varieties
These are some of my favorites!
Oxeye Daisies
The Oxeye daisy is a classic choice. These small, cheerful flowers boast the classic yellow center and thin white petals along with dark-green foliage that looks great in any backyard. And, since they’re aggressive growers, Oxeyes daisies are perfect for creating wildflower groundcover.
Gerbera Daisies
A go-to choice for floral arrangements and bouquets, the Gerbera daisy comes in a kaleidoscope of colors ranging from pastel pinks and purples to fiery red and orange. They thrive as perennials in warm climates but can also be grown as annual flowers in cooler regions.
Painted Daisies
Another colorful variety is the painted daisy flower. Painted daisies have long, thin petals, small yellow centers, and fern-like foliage that add color and texture to your garden. Unlike many flowers, painted daisies repel pests, so they’re a great variety to plant around your vegetable garden.
English Daisies
If you want to add a delicate variety of daisy flowers to your garden, consider the English daisy. With their tiny, spike-like petals and spherical shape, English daisies aren’t what you typically think of when daisies come to mind, but these dainty blooms provide splashes of color during daylight hours.
Shasta Daisies
The most iconic daisy variety is the Shasta daisy. These comforting flowers represent innocence, purity, hope, and friendship, so they’ve long been a popular gift for birthdays, Mother’s Day, and those “just because” occasions. Shasta daisies also spread easily and can be aggressive growers, making them ideal for beginner gardeners.
Here are some varieties that would look great in your garden:
African Daisy
Aster Daisy
Blue Marguerite Daisy
Butter Daisy
Cape Daisy
Chocolate Daisy
Coneflower Daisy
Crown Daisy
Dahlberg Daisy
Florist’s Daisy
Tools and Clothing
There are a few gardening tools and accessories worth investing in if you plan to grow daisies.
When it comes to garden tools, a durable weeding tool is a must. Clear your flowerbed or garden of pesky weeds before transplanting your daisy flowers into the ground. Discover which weeding tools I recommend for your daisy garden, or take a look at these three that I’ve highlighted:
Since watering your daisy flowers is key to their survival, think about which watering tools work best for your situation. Garden hoses, watering cans, soaker hoses, sprinklers, and a drip irrigation system are all great options. Learn about the best watering tools that work for me!
You’ll also want to wear appropriate attire when working in the garden. In my Guide to Gardening Clothes, I recommend:
- Knee-lined work pants
- Waterproof work shoes or boots
- Overalls
In addition to the right wardrobe, you also need to invest in a few accessories for added convenience. A gardening tool belt, gardening apron, gardening gloves, a wide-brimmed hat, and knee pads lend extra comfort and protection from dirt and the elements.
Bouquets
Thanks to its symbolic meanings associated with purity and innocence, the daisy flower is often used in wedding bouquets and newborn flower arrangements. The meanings go deeper when you consider a daisy’s color.
Red daisies are associated with love and passion, so they make a classic romantic gift.
Yellow daisies are signs of cheerfulness and friendship.
Pink daisies represent joy and platonic love.
Orange daisies also represent joy and friendship, which makes colorful Gerbera daisies a popular choice for friends’ birthdays and get-well sentiments.
Daisy Flower FAQs
Where can I get daisy seeds?
Daisy seeds are readily available from your local nurseries, big box gardening stores like Home Depot, and online retailers. Your local library may also have a free seed library, too.
Check out our Daisy seed section for more information on buying them.
Can daisies grow in a pot?
Daisies can adapt well to growing in a pot or container, so long as it has proper drainage. Make sure your pot is positioned to receive lots of sun.
Plastic and ceramic pots are the ideal containers because they can help keep your soil moist and fertile. For typical daisies, a 12-inch or wider container should suffice. If you’re planting larger daisies, which can grow up to three feet, it’s recommended to use a raised bed.
Check out our growing guidelines for more info.
How much water do daisies need?
During the summer, daisies should receive no more than two inches of water per week, either through rainfall or irrigation. In spring and fall, they only need two inches every other week. To make sure your plant is receiving enough water, stick your index finger into the soil. If it’s dry and dusty, then it’s time to water.
How hard are daisies to grow?
Daisies are surprisingly easy to grow and a great option for new gardeners. They’re fairly resistant to cold weather and can withstand periods of low rainfall. Without too much work, you can reap the benefits in the summer with bloom after bloom.
Learn more about how easy daisies are to care for with our handy guide.
Will daisies attract bees?
Bees love daisies! Shasta daisies, in particular, are a pollinator favorite. You’ll probably even see an influx of birds in your garden when your daisies are in full bloom.
When do daisies bloom?
Daisies usually begin to bloom in late spring and continue into early fall. Once they’re in bloom, they’ll need to be deadheaded to avoid droopage – or else your bloom season will be very short.
Refer to our deadheading section for more info.
How long do planted daisies bloom?
It depends on the variety. Shasta daisies are only in full bloom for about four to six weeks. On the other hand, Gerbera daisies bloom for several weeks.
Why are my flowers not blooming?
There could be a variety of reasons why. Lack of sunlight. Not enough water. Overwatering. Oppressive heat or cold. Bacteria that’s infected the plant.
The good news is that daisy plants are hardy, so keep making tweaks to your setup to uncover what’s holding them up. If potted, move them to a new location for better sun. Track their water intake. Cut any leaves that look diseased. Buy fertilizer to enrich the soil. Don’t give up!
How long do fresh-cut daisies last?
A daisy flower can last anywhere from ten days to several weeks in a vase when fed the proper flower food and given fresh water daily.
Can I pick wild daisies?
When it comes to picking wildflowers, the law can vary from state to state, but it’s generally frowned upon. If you are on someone else’s private property, you will need their permission before you can pick wild daisies.
Are daisy flowers good to give as a gift?
Yes! Daisies have long been considered the most cheerful flower, so they infuse brightness and positivity into any space. As such, they’re ideal for celebrations, special occasions, and “just because.”
What does pushing daisies mean?
Pushing daisies is a euphemism for being dead, the horticultural version of sleeping with the fishes.
The thought is that a decomposing body helps flowers grow above it, thus pushing daisies into the open. It was also the name of a cult TV show from the mid-2000s. If you begin planting these flowers and brag to your friends about pushing daisies, you may get some weird looks!
Improve Your Garden With Daisies!
Despite its dainty appearance, the daisy flower is one of the hardiest, low-maintenance flowers you can plant in your garden.
If you enjoyed the information found here, bookmark this page and check back often. In the meantime, take a look at other beautiful flowers:
