If you’re looking to add cheer to your garden, few flowers do it better than the many types of daisies. These beautiful and colorful varieties offer something for every gardener, from classic white petals to vibrant pinks and oranges.
Daisies belong to several plant families, but they all share that classic charm. They are generally easy to grow and attract helpful pollinators. Let’s look at some of the best types you can plant.
Types of Daisies – Beautiful and Colorful Varieties
This list covers both common favorites and some unique options you might not know. Each one brings its own special color and character to your outdoor space.
Classic and Beloved Daisy Types
These are the daisies most people picture first. They are reliable, widely available, and perfect for beginners.
- Shasta Daisy: The quintessential daisy with large white petals and a sunny yellow center. Varieties like ‘Becky’ are known for their long bloom time and strong stems.
- Oxeye Daisy: A charming wildflower with smaller blooms than the Shasta. It’s a perennial that naturalizes easily, but check if it’s considered invasive in your area before planting.
- English Daisy: A low-growing, carpet-forming plant perfect for edges. It produces sweet little flowers in white, pink, or red very early in the spring.
Daisies in Vibrant Colors
Move beyond white with these stunning options. They provide fantastic pops of color in mid to late summer borders.
- Gerbera Daisy: Famous as a cut flower, Gerberas have huge, bold blooms in red, orange, yellow, pink, and salmon. They are often grown as annuals but can be perennial in warm climates.
- African Daisy (Osteospermum): These offer incredible shades of purple, blue, and bi-colors with striking dark centers. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil.
- Painted Daisy (Tanacetum): Known for their bright pink, red, or white flowers with yellow centers. They have lovely fern-like foliage that adds texture even when not in bloom.
Unique and Unusual Daisy Varieties
For something a little different, these daisies have special forms or characteristics that make them stand out.
- Gloriosa Daisy (Rudbeckia hirta): A type of Black-Eyed Susan with rich, autumnal colors. Look for varieties like ‘Cherokee Sunset’ in shades of mahogany, gold, and rust.
- Blue Marguerite Daisy (Felicia amelloides): This tender perennial boasts true sky-blue petals around a yellow center. It’s excellent for containers in cooler zones.
- Livingstone Daisy (Dorotheanthus): A low-growing succulent groundcover that produces iridescent pink, orange, or white flowers. It loves hot, dry conditions and poor soil.
How to Grow Healthy Daisies
Most daisies share similar basic needs. Following these simple steps will ensure you get plenty of blooms.
- Choose the Right Spot: Almost all daisies need full sun, meaning at least 6 to 8 hours of direct light per day. Good air circulation helps prevent disease.
- Prepare the Soil: Well-drained soil is crucial. If your soil is heavy clay, amend it with compost to improve drainage. Most daisies prefer a neutral to slightly acidic pH.
- Plant Correctly: Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball. Place the plant so the top of the roots are level with the soil surface, then backfill and water deeply.
- Water Wisely: Water regularly during the first growing season to establish roots. Once established, many daisies are quite drought-tolerant. Always water at the base to keep leaves dry.
- Feed for Flowers: Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring. Avoid high-nitrogen formulas, which promote leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
Essential Maintenance Tips
A little routine care goes a long way in keeping your daisies looking their best and blooming longer.
- Deadheading: Regularly remove spent flowers. This encourages the plant to produce more blooms instead of setting seed.
- Division: Every 2 to 3 years in spring or fall, divide crowded clumps. This rejuvenates the plant and gives you new ones to spread around or share.
- Staking: Tall varieties, like some Shasta daisies, may need support to prevent them from flopping over after heavy rain.
- Winter Care: In fall, after the foliage dies back, you can cut stems down to a few inches above the ground. A light mulch can help protect the roots in very cold winters.
Designing With Daisies in Your Garden
Daisies are versatile players in garden design. Here’s how to use them effectively.
Plant them in drifts or groups for a bold visual impact. Mix different types of daisies together for a long season of color, starting with English daisies in spring and ending with Gloriosa daisies in fall.
They make excellent companions for other sun-loving perennials. Try pairing them with:
- Salvia for contrasting spires of blue or purple.
- Ornamental grasses for movement and texture.
- Lavender for a lovely scent and silvery foliage.
Don’t forget containers! Compact or trailing varieties, like Livingstone or Blue Marguerite daisies, are perfect for pots and hanging baskets where their colors can really shine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common daisy flowers?
The most common garden daisy is the Shasta daisy. Oxeye daisies are common in wildflower meadows, and Gerbera daisies are ubiquitous in floral arrangements.
Are there different color daisies?
Absolutely! While white is classic, daisies come in yellow, pink, purple, red, orange, and even blue. The colorful varieties like African and Painted daisies are especially vibrant.
Which daisies bloom the longest?
Many modern Shasta daisy cultivars, like ‘Becky’, are bred for a extended bloom period from early summer into fall. Deadheading any daisy regularly will significantly prolong its flowering time.
Do daisies come back every year?
Many types, including Shasta, Oxeye, and Gloriosa daisies, are perennials in most climates. Some, like Gerbera daisies, are tender perennials or are often grown as annuals in colder regions.
How do you take care of potted daisy plants?
Use a quality potting mix and ensure the container has drainage holes. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, and feed with a liquid fertilizer every few weeks during the growing season. They will need plenty of sun, so place them in a bright spot.
With so many types of daisies to choose from, you can easily fill your garden with continuous color and life. Start with one or two varieties that catch your eye, and you’ll likely find yourself wanting to collect more of these beautiful and cheerful flowers. Their simple joy is hard to beat, and they reward even the most basic care with an abundance of blooms.