Whether spotted in a wild meadow, kept as an indoor plant, or sent as a bouquets, the Florist’s Daisy is sure to bless any space with a splash of color and wellness thanks to its unique air-filtering qualities. The Florist’s Daisy’s might seem like a whimsical wildflower, but it’s actually been appreciated by ancient cultures for hundreds of years.
Read on to learn more about the Florist’s Daisy!
Characteristics of the Florist’s Daisy
The Florist’s Daisy is from the Asteraceae family, and its Latin name is Chrysanthemum morifolium. Simply nicknamed “mum,” the Florist’s Daisy can grow up to three feet tall, and about the same length wide. Through hormone treatment and light tricks, however, cultivators are able to stunt the growth of the plant and allow it to flower outside of its regular season, which is typically late summer into the fall. This means that you can buy Florist Daisies in full bloom pretty much any time of the year!
The edges of Florist Daisy leaves, which can grow longer than six inches, are serrated, fleshy, hairy, and smell strongly when crushed. The petals, which take on a more traditional daisy-shape towards the outer edge of the flowerhead, are tubular closest to the center. The plant as a whole is thick, and its stems stand stiffly and grow densely.
Because, however, the Florist’s Daisy has been cultivated for hundreds of years, it has bred into many different types of Chrysanthemums of various shapes, colors (from pink to orange to white), and sizes. The defining feature remains its leaves—so that’s what you should be looking at if you’re trying to differentiate the flower from its neighbors!
History of the Florist’s Daisy
The Florist’s Daisy has been cited in Chinese history since the sixth century BC. Eleven hundred years later, they had recorded more than five-hundred types. Around the same time, they became known in Europe, but weren’t common until the eighteenth century. By the start of the nineteen hundreds, humans were aware of more than two thousand different hybrids of the Florist’s Daisy.
This flower has likely been appreciated for so long because of its medicinal properties. By the sixteenth century, physicians were already reporting on the flower’s powers to neutralize heat and toxins, help eyesight, and more. In traditional Chinese medicine it is used to treat anxiety and its side effects, and in natural medicine it is used in support of eye inflammation and skin blemishes.
The Florist’s Daisy in Your Home
Indoors or Outdoors?
In addition to its curative qualities, as per a NASA report, the Florist’s Daisy is very powerful at filtering the air from pollutants, which makes them beloved and useful house plants. You should be mindful, however, to place the Florist’s Daisy beyond the reach of children or pets, because their leaves are toxic when eaten!
If you prefer to keep your flowers outside, you can purchase young plants from your local nursery and transplant them into your garden in the spring. If you prefer to grow them from seed, you can also buy them online and plant them indoors about two months before the last winter frost (they will germinate between ten days and three weeks), and then transplant them outside. This ensures their flowering in late summer and fall!
Caring for Florist’s Daisy
Whether you care for them indoors or outdoors, Florist’s Daisies do not tolerate intense heat for very long. They do need a fair amount of sunlight to blossom, however—or else you might find yourself with closed flower buds all season long! We suggest you put or plant them somewhere that receives direct morning sunshine but avoids the hotter afternoon light.
Check your flower’s soil often to make sure that it is evenly moist, and never dry, which could also cause the buds to not flower and the plant to wilt. On average, you should water the plant two to three times a week.
Keep a close eye on it, however, because it might require more watering. Potted Florist’s Daisies are often packed tightly in their pots, which means their roots take up most of the space, and there is little soil to hold in the water. You can also choose to fertilize the soil once a month.
The space you choose for your Florist’s Daisy should have a forty to fifty percent humidity, and be cool with an air temperature of fifty-five to sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. This will preserve the blossoming of the beautiful flowers for several weeks.
When buying young Florist’s Daisies, you might take them home to discover little green insects beneath its leaves and up its stem called aphids, which can be very harmful to plants. Make sure to treat them appropriately before they spread to the rest of your plants, whether indoors or outdoors.
Because of how rare it is for Florist’s Daisies to bloom more than one season in a row, owners often toss the plant after its blooming has ended.
Where to Buy Florist’s Daisy Plants
Florist’s daisy plants and seeds can be found online and in local nurseries and garden centers. Remember to look for Chrysanthemum morifolium on the packet or label.
Gifting the Florist’s Daisy
Because of its unusual shapes and bright colors, the Florist’s Daisy can be used as a unique housewarming gift. It is also commonly gifted during holidays like Christmas and Easter. Some cultures view the Florist’s Daisy as a symbol of motherhood, and bestow it upon a young mother shortly after the birth of her child.
With its wide variety of pink colors, Florist’s Daisies are also a great alternative to the more traditional roses as a romantic gift for a significant other.
Now whether you give the Florist’s Daisy to a friend, or decide to treat yourself, we suggest placing it next to plants that look completely different from this thick-petaled flower: perhaps with big green leaves. Contrasts make for a more dynamic and interesting interior design.
Because of its long, stiff stems, Florist’s Daisies are also perfect additions to any bouquets. You can even get them delivered directly to the recipient through sites like 1-800 Flowers and Pro Flowers.
Add the Florist’s Daisy to Your Garden Space
Ultimately, Florist’s Daisies are the perfect houseplant companions. Their bright colors liven any space, and their air filtering properties make them an asset in any home.
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