Description

Characteristic Features of Daisies

Daisy (Bellis) is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the family Asteraceae or Compositae. In the wild, Daisies occur in the forests, fields, parks, and meadows in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Daisies are cultivated as ornamental plants throughout the temperate climates.

The plant is noted for its elegant looks and delicate flowers. Its Latin name derives from the Greek "bellus" (pretty). Its Russian name "Margaritka" is also derived from Greek "margarites" ("pearl"). Indeed, the white daisies strewn in the fields resemble small pearls.

Since ancient times, this plant has been a symbol of kindness, loyalty, purity, and innocence. In Germany and France, young ladies use it for fortune telling to find out if He loves her or not.

The origin of this exquisite flower is described by various legends. The most famous is the ancient Christian legend about Our Lady who, on a winter day, wanted to please the Child Jesus with a beautiful wreath of flowers, but it was difficult to find flowers in that season. Then She decided to hand-make flowers. Best of all, the Child Jesus liked Daisies made of yellow cloth and white threads. When sewing, Virgin Mary sometimes pricked Her fingers and drops of her blood stained cloth in pink. According to the legend, this is why Daisy flowers are often pinkish. The Child Jesus kept his favourite flowers during the winter and planted them out in the spring and began to water. Flowers from fabric came to life and established.

According to another legend, the history of Daisies is also connected with the name of Our Lady. When Virgin Mary came to tell the good news to her relative, snow white Daisies appeared at each footstep of the Lord's Mother.

Daisy has a short rhizome, leafless and slightly hairy stem 10-35 centimetres tall, ovate leaves collected in the rosette, and a single basket inflorescence (2-9 centimetres across). The ray florets are typically white, scarlet, or pink, and the disk florets are yellow. Flowers are borne in the spring or summer, sometimes in the autumn. The fruit is a flat yellow achene. One gram contains up to 7,000 seeds that remain viable for 3-4 years.

The genus Bellis contains, according to various sources, 10 to 30 species. Most frequently, Common Daisy (Bellis perennis) varieties are cultivated as ornamental plants. This plant is often grown as a biannual, as over time the flowers grow smaller and the plants die. Common Daisy grows to 10-30 centimetres tall. Varieties of this species can be divided into two groups: ligulosa, with heads containing only ray florets, and fistulosa, with heads containing tubular florets but not yellow. Each of the groups includes plants with double, semi-double, and simple flowers that may be small (about 3 centimetres across), medium (up to 5 centimetres across), or large (over 6 centimetres across). Thanks to fruitful breeding, you can find interesting varieties with orange and golden flowers.

Sometimes (only in rockeries or container culture) Annual Daisy (Bellis annua) is used. It grows up to 10 centimetres in height and has small simple snow-white flowers.
Daisy is a versatile plant, and it looks great in solitary plantings, edges, mixed borders, and flower beds. This plant is best grown in small groups, creating interesting shapes and arrangements. Ferns or low conifers can be used to frame such a group of these delicate plants. Good companion plants are hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, forget-me-nots, and viola. In addition, Daisy can be grown as groundcover in the garden or in containers to decorate rooms, porches, and balconies. As a medicinal herb, it perfectly heals wounds, bronchitis, tuberculosis, arthritis, stops bleeding, and helps to treat a cold.

The Secrets to Successfully Growing Daisies

This plant grows in any fertile soil with good drainage in full sun to partial shade conditions. Remember that in soggy soils, the plants can damp out. For profuse flowering, it is best to plant Daisies on humus-rich loam soils. In general, this plant is winter hardy. Only large-flowered varieties and plants growing in areas with late snow require winter sheltering with dry leaves or spruce branches. The basic care includes regular watering (underwatering will cause the flowers get smaller), weeding, loosening the soil, fertilizing in the early spring, deadheading spent flowers.

Daisy is propagated by seed, division, and cuttings.

The seeds are sown outdoors or in propagators in June-July. They germinate within 10 days or even earlier, if sown in propagators. Prick out seedlings once they have their first set of true leaves (about 3 weeks after sowing) and plant out in late spring spacing them about 25 centimetres apart. The plants will bloom the following year. Daisy is an eager self-seeder. Remember to thin out the seedlings.

Double and large-flowered varieties are best propagated by division to keep these features. Shorten the roots of the shrub and cut leaves, divide in August-September or in the spring in about 5 parts, and plant them out in the prepared location.

Propagation by cuttings is also easy. Cut shoots with several leaves in late spring or early summer and plant them out in open ground or in the greenhouse. Cuttings root quickly enough, and a year later they will bloom profusely. It should be noted that Daisy can be transplanted during flowering, which is certainly good for gardeners.

Potential Problems

Daisy is prone to excessive growth caused by micoplasma. The leaves and flowers shrink and lose their colour. Remove infected plants from the flower bed along with the ball of soil and burn.

In rare cases, Daisy can be attacked by the leaf bronzing virus carried by thrips. The leaves get distorted and discoloured. The diseased plants must be immediately removed.

Sometimes Daisy get powdery mildew (white greyish coating on the leaves), brown spot (light brown spots on the leaves), and rust (yellowish brown spots). Remove the affected shoots and treat the whole plant with fungicides. Soggy soil can cause root rot. In this case, also treat the plant with fungicides.

Daisy can be occasionally attacked with spider mites, caterpillars, thrips, slugs, and rodents. Control pests with insecticides.