54 Daisy Flower: Types of Daisies How To Grow, Facts, Meaning, Gardening

What Is Bellis Perennis?

Bellis perennis, the English daisy or common daisy, is a wildflower that originated in Europe and has become naturalized worldwide. This common wildflower sports small, white flower heads with a yellow center. It blooms in early spring, and the blooms sometimes last until fall. As an herbaceous perennial, the daisy typically dies out in the cold season and returns in the springtime.

The English daisy is a vigorous plant that spreads through rhizomes – underground stems that branch out horizontally with adventitious roots.³⁰

(Image: Holger Krisp³⁶)

The English Daisy is an opportunist, popping up along roadsides, in meadows and lawns, and any disturbed site. The daisy is easy to grow and is a bright and cheery addition to any garden, but it has become a familiar and stubborn lawn weed in many U.S. states. In fact, Bellis perennis is even considered invasive in some areas of the U.S.²⁷

What Does the Name Bellis Perennis Mean?

The scientific name of the English daisy is Bellis perennis. The genus name Bellis is Latin for “pretty,” and the species name perennis is Latin for “perennial” or “long-lasting.”

Thus, the scientific name can be loosely translated to mean “beauty everlasting” alluding to the longevity of the blooming season in temperate climates.⁵

Daisy Flower Meaning

The common name “Daisy” is thought to originate with the Old English expression “day’s eye.” This name likely developed from observation of the flower’s blooms. The flower heads of the daisy open during the day and close at night… hence, the day’s eye.

There is even more than this to the Daisy Flower meaning, as it has come to represent many varying ideas and constructs through the years. The daisy is a symbol of purity and chastity, childhood innocence and playfulness, happiness and joy, humility, good luck, rebirth and renewal, and new beginnings.⁵

Daisy Flower Facts

The daisy is a common enough flower that many people may not think too long about it. However, there are several interesting Daisy Flower facts that everyone should know, such as:

1. The English Daisy, or Bellis perennis, is the birth flower for the month of April.⁵
2. B. perennis was first named in 1753, more than two centuries ago!¹³
3. Daisies are edible and have been appreciated for their medicinal properties for centuries.²⁴
4. Daisies are beloved of pollinators, particularly bees.²⁴
5. The Daisy’s flowerhead, a capitulum inflorescence, is not a single flower but is actually composed of hundreds of tiny flowers.²⁴

Bellis Perennis Flower Varieties and Cultivars

When people think of daisies, most will conjure an image of the common white Daisy Flower, the English daisy with its simplistic but beautiful blooms. Bellis perennis is the most widespread daisy species, and it is also the species with the most varieties and cultivars. Most cultivated varieties boast bright colors and striking full, double blooms.

The following chart lists some of the most popular B. perennis cultivars.^3,9,12,20,23

How To Identify Daisy Flowers

Knowing how to identify Daisy Flowers by observing their characteristics can be incredibly helpful, particularly when looking to add this well-loved plant to a garden or landscape.

The English daisy has a recognizable physique, but it can be very difficult to differentiate it from its close relatives.

The following sections look at the defining features of the daisy family and how B. perennis can be distinguished.

Identifying Daisy Flower Leaves

One of the most defining features of the English daisy is its leaves. Daisy Flower leaves are uniquely shaped and arranged.

The leaves of B. perennis are spatulate, or spoon-shaped, flat, rounded, and broader at the tip than the base. The green leaves often have long petioles, a fairly prominent central vein, and smaller branching lateral veins.

English daisy leaves are usually between 2 and 6 inches in length, forming a rosette around the base of the plant. This basal rosette configuration is commonly seen in many members of the daisy family. The stems are leafless.

The leaves of B. perennis may have soft hairs on their underside, and they may be slightly lobed or toothed.¹⁰

Identifying Daisy Flower Flowers

Members of the daisy family, Asteraceae, have a unique and recognizable flower configuration. Daisy Flower flowers are not actually flowers in the conventional sense – a single flower with a number of petals. Rather, they are composite flowers that are made up of tens to hundreds of tiny flowers creating the appearance of a single flower.

Hence, the daisy family’s previous name, Compositae.

Composite flowers, like those in the daisy family, are usually made up of two main types of flowers:¹

1. Tiny, tubular, 5-petaled flowers clustered to form a disc or dome shape at the flower head’s center.
2. Small, ray flowers surround the central disc, each with a single petal, often strap-like.

This type of composite flower head is known as a capitulum. In the English daisy, the central disc may be composed of hundreds of tiny, yellow florets, surrounded by more than 20 ray flowers with white, slender, flattened petals. The capitulum can range in size from 1 to 3 in.¹⁹

(Image: Lennity³⁷)

Note that each cultivar of B. perennis will vary significantly in the appearance of its flowers and, in some cases, leaves as well.

Identifying Daisy Flower Roots

Many members of the daisy family have spreading habits, but the English daisy is among the most aggressive, making it weedy in many lawns and gardens.

The fibrous roots of B. perennis are rhizomatous, meaning that the roots send out horizontal underground stems which form new root shoots. This allows the English daisy and similar plants to form clusters in areas where grass is sparse.¹¹

Identifying Daisy Flower Seeds

Identifying Daisy Flower seeds can be tricky due to their minuscule size. Single seeds are contained within dry achenes, a sort of thin covering for the seeds.

The English daisy achenes are extremely small (<2 mm), flattened, brown to yellow in color, and usually oval- or lance-shaped.² Most seeds are produced by the central disc flowers, and those produced by ray flowers may be slightly larger and harder.¹⁸

The “True” Daisies of the Bellis Genus

According to Plants of the World Online – Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, there are 14 accepted species in the Bellis genus.³³

These might be considered “true” daisies. Most members of the daisy genus are endemic to the Mediterranean area and grow as wild Daisy Flower. B. perennis is the parent plant of the most cultivated species (see above table). There are no species native to North America though some have been introduced.

Types of “True” Daisy Flowers – The Bellis Genus

Below are the commonly considered as the “true” types of Daisy flowers:^{16, 33}

Types of Daisy Flower

There are many types of Daisy Flower outside the Bellis genus, as the daisy name has come to represent the Asteraceae family as a whole, one of the largest flowering plant families known to science. These daisies nearly cover the full spectrum of the rainbow with:

• Blue Daisy Flower like the Blue Daisy and the Tatarian Daisy.
• Orange Daisy Flower like the Gloriosa Daisy and the Gaillardia Daisy.
• Pink Daisy Flower like the Michaelmas Daisy and the Bitter Daisy.
• Purple Daisy Flower like the Coneflower Daisy and the Seaside Daisy.
• Red Daisy Flower like the Painted Daisy and the Barberton Daisy.
• Yellow Daisy Flower like the Chocolate Daisy and the Dahlberg Daisy.

40 Other Daisy Flowers: The Asteraceae Family

Whether Daisy Flowers were given the common name ‘daisy’ due to their appearance, previous classifications, or close relation to true daisies, they are among the most familiar to gardeners. Most flowering plants with the epithet ‘daisy’ are members of the daisy family: Asteraceae. Unlike the true daisies of the Bellis genus, there are many Daisy Flowers that are native to North America.

The following table can be used as an identification guide to 40 types of Daisy Flowers in the Asteraceae family.

It is important to note that there are several flowering plants with the common name daisy which are not related to the Asteraceae family, such as:

• The Livingstone Daisy (Cleretum bellidiforme): Member of the Aizoceae family. Succulent with colorful daisy-like blooms.  Native to S. Africa and the Cape Peninsula.
• The Marsh Daisy (Armeria maritima): Member of the Plumbaginaceae family. More commonly known as sea thrift. Grass-like. Native to the Mediterranean coast.

How to Grow Daisy Flowers

The best growing conditions for Daisy Flower are full sun and well-draining soil in temperate climates.

For an exact answer to “How much sunlight does Daisy Flower need each day?” full sun preference indicates that the plant does best when it receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Daisies will tolerate some shade, particularly in the hottest afternoon hours.¹⁷

Understanding when to plant Daisy Flower for the best yield depends on the method of propagation. When growing Daisy Flower from a seed, the seed should be collected once it ripens and dries. They can be sown in the autumn, after ripening, if winters are mild in the area. In colder climates, plant to start the seed indoors several weeks before the last frost, or direct sow after the last frost. Note that seed sown in springtime is unlikely to blossom until the following year.

Growing a Daisy Flower from a seedling is a very popular propagation method, as nurseries typically have many Daisy options to choose from. Transplant a seedling in late spring after the last frost, add in some compost or fertilizer for a boost, and anticipate beautiful blooms by midsummer!

When growing a Daisy Flower from a cutting or by division, it is usually advised that a gardener wait until fall, or at least after the blooms die back. The plant must be entirely uprooted before it is divided. Split the plant segments so that there is healthy root and foliage in each part. Replant immediately.^{17, 34}

The most important planting tips for Daisy Flower are:²⁰

1. Ensure the location gets plenty of sun, but not too much afternoon sun in very hot areas.
2. Ensure the soil is well-draining.
3. Don’t bury the seeds! Spread them lightly on top of the soil.
4. Add in fertilizer or compost to speed things up.

Determining how far apart to plant Daisy Flower will be determined by the desired effect. For a dense mat of flowers, spacing around 4 to 5 inches is preferred.²⁵

The watering needs for daisy flower plants are minimal, as most varieties require only a couple of inches of water each week during the hotter months.¹⁷

(Image: Игоревич⁴⁰)

Because English Daisies are so low maintenance, it’s nice to choose similar companion plants for growing Daisy Flower. Some flowers that pair well are pansies and daffodils. Complement the daisy plants with taller plants to create depth. Daisies also thrive in the same soil as many vegetable crops.²¹

Daisy Flower Growing Zone

Most Daisy Flowers can be grown as perennials in warm temperate climates. The English Daisy Flower growing zone is USDA plant hardiness zones 4 – 9.³⁵ The growing zones for Daisy Flower (where to grow), are impacted but what variety of Daisy an individual wishes to grow, as well as whether the plant can winter indoors during harsher cold seasons.

Daisies can be grown as biennials in hotter climates, where they will typically bloom during the spring and fall with downtime during the hottest summer days. Inversely, they are often grown as annuals in colder climates where the winter temperatures drop below -30 degrees Fahrenheit.²⁸

Daisy Flower Growth Rate

The English Daisy Flower growth rate is medium, and English daisies usually need a year to become established and begin to bloom, when they are grown from seed. Daisy seed sown in the autumn may bloom the following summer.

However, don’t be concerned about how long it takes to grow Daisy Flower, because daisy seedlings are easily found in nurseries and can be planted in early spring for summer flowering!²⁰

Daisy Flower Disease Prevention

Daisy Flower disease prevention is not too complicated as these plants are generally disease-resistant and low maintenance. Some common pests of the Daisy Flower, such as thrips and leaf miners sometimes feed on daisy leaves. These can usually be dealt with by spraying the undersides of leaves with water and dish soap or removing infected leaves and impacted plants – both methods of natural pest control for Daisy Flower.²⁶

Though Daisies are not prone to disease, they may become susceptible to powdery mildew or fungal leaf spots when they are subjected to too much humidity. Using a fungicide is one method for how to stop Daisy Flower disease, but naturalists will prefer to remove infected plant parts or use a baking soda spray that they can mix up at home.^{17, 31}

The English Daisy is so familiar to gardeners in the United States, that most may not even realize that this is a non-native plant. Hailing from Europe, North Africa, and the general Mediterranean area, Bellis perennis has become naturalized in temperate climates worldwide. This guide is a thorough exploration of Bellis perennis, the English Daisy, and beyond.

Though B. perennis is the prototypical Daisy Flower, there are many other types of Daisies explored in this guide that you might want to plant in your home.

Frequently Asked Questions About Daisy Flower