7 Species of Daisies for Your Flower Garden

By
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh has written about gardening and special occasion flowers for the Spruce since 2011. She has more than 20 years of experience caring for flowers and plants. She was a feature writer for Organic Gardening at Suite101, where she won awards for her writing.
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Updated on 06/24/22
Reviewed by
Mary Marlowe Leverette
Mary Marlowe Leverette 2018
Reviewed by Mary Marlowe Leverette

Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40+ years of experience and 20+ years of writing experience. Mary is also a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

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Fact checked by
Emily Estep
Emily Estep
Fact checked by Emily Estep

Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics including environmental science and houseplants.

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yellow and white daisies

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Daisies are a popular choice for gardens—and for good reason. Bright, cheerful, and easy to grow, the flowers are readily identifiable and are a mainstay of cottage gardens and classic perennial borders alike. But the term "daisy" is far broader than you may realize. There are multitudes of options when it comes to choosing daisies to grow in your garden.

The common name "daisy" is applied to a large handful of species within the huge Asteraceae family of plants, a group known for blooms that are flat and disc-shaped, with petals that form rays projecting outward from a central hub. The family also includes chrysanthemums, zinnias, asters, and sunflowers as well as many common weeds, such as dandelions. However, the daisy species that are best for your flower garden depends on several factors. A daisy that's perfect for one growing zone might be a total pest in another.

Here are seven gorgeous species of daisies to consider for your garden.

Warning

Some types of daisies are considered weeds and are categorized by states as invasive (and thus discouraged), because they grow so rapidly, thanks to self-sowing and their robust nature. Check with your local county extension office before planting a new daisy variety.

  • 01 of 07

    English Daisy (Bellis perennis)

    English daisy plants with white and pink frilly petals clustered on thin stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    The common English daisy, Bellis perennis, has a somewhat deserved reputation for being a weed; it's even considered invasive in some areas. The species has flowers with white rays and yellow centers, but there are many cultivars with semi-double and button flowers, such as 'Galaxy Red.' These cultivars are both showier and better behaved than the primary species. English daisies are hardy in growing zones 4 to 8 but are often grown as biennials in warmer zones and as annuals in cooler zones. These low-growing daisies, especially the showier cultivars, can make excellent ground cover plants.

    • Native Area: Northern Africa, western Asia, Europe
    • USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
    • Height: 3–6 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full, dappled shade
  • 02 of 07

    Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)

    Gerbera daisy with light pink radiating petals surrounding cream-colored center closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    The National Garden Bureau named 2013 the Year of the Gerbera, declaring the pleasing shape and luminous colors of the flower to be irresistible to gardeners. And we're still in love with the species today. Unlike some daisies, this South African native is a tender perennial, hardy only in warm climates. However, the plants can thrive in a container garden and make fabulous cut flowers, as many florists and brides can attest. Gerbera daisies, also called African Daisies or Veldt Daisies, prefer morning sun, although full sun is tolerated in cooler climates. Irrigate the plants at soil level to keep water off the foliage and prevent fungal diseases. Look for the Festival series in a rainbow of colors, or try one of the lush, semi-double types, such as the peach-hued Cartwheel Chardonnay.

    • Native Area: South Africa
    • USDA Growing Zones: 8–10b (grown as an annual elsewhere)
    • Height: 12–18 inches
    • Sun Exposure: Full
  • 03 of 07

    Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum frutescens)

    Marguerite daisies with small bright pink flowers with yellow centers and buds

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    The Marguerite daisy, Argyranthemum frutescens, also known as the cobbitty daisy, thrills gardeners with its blazing yellow and pink color choices as well as its demure white petal variety, which will thrive as a perennial in zones 8-10. These are annuals in all but the warmest growing zones, so they won't return after winter, but you will get a full season of repeating blooms. Marguerite daisies are at their best during spring and fall when nighttime temperatures are below 75 degrees. However, if you shear them back in the summer, they'll bounce back with a new flush of blooms when the autumn rains arrive.

    • Native Area: Canary Islands
    • USDA Growing Zones: 10–11 (grown as an annual elsewhere)
    • Height: 2–3 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full
  • 04 of 07

    Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)

    Oxeye daisies with white radiating petals around yellow centers clustered in sunlight

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    What's considered a vigorous plant in one garden is considered a weed in another, and that's true for the oxeye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare. It's a native flower in Europe, where the spreading nature and drought tolerance of the plants make them pasture pests. These short-lived perennials are discouraged in a dozen continental states because they're considered invasive. However, in tamer settings, oxeye daisies are welcome for their three-month bloom time. Consider using them in a small, well-kept wildflower garden, or allow them to naturalize in your cottage garden.

    • Native Area: Europe
    • USDA Growing Zones: 3–8
    • Height: 1–3 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full
    Continue to 5 of 7 below.
  • 05 of 07

    Painted Daisy (Tanacetum coccineum)

    Painted daisy flower with fuchsia-colored petals surrounding a yellow center closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    The ease of care and vivid blooms of the painted daisy, Tanacetum coccineum, makes it deserving of a spot in every cutting garden. It starts blooming in early summer and may even put on a second, smaller showing in the fall if you deadhead the faded blooms. After the fernlike leaves appear in spring, watch out for aphids and leafminer. Varieties like 'James Kelway' are easy to start from seed or try the pale pink 'Eileen May Robinson.'

    • Native Area: Eastern Europe, Iran, and central Asia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 3–7
    • Height: 2–3 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full, Partial
  • 06 of 07

    Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum)

    Shasta daisy flowers clustered together with white radiating petals around yellow centers

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    A cross of the oxeye daisy and three other wild daisies yielded the beloved Shasta daisy, Leucanthemum x superbum, which received its common name from the white snow of Mount Shasta in California. The many cultivars of this daisy offer gardeners several different looks for their flower borders, ranging from the yellow 'Banana Cream' to the frilly, fringed 'Phyllis Smith.' The 'Becky' and 'Alaska' varieties are widely sold and look like the classic daisy flower seen in many cottage gardens. These plants bloom across a long season but reach their peak in June and July. Although they're low-maintenance, Shasta daisies don’t like wet feet and will sometimes fail to reappear in the garden after a soggy winter. Divide the plants every two years to keep them vigorous.

    • Native Area: Nursery hybrid; parent species are native to Europe, Japan
    • USDA Growing Zones: 4–9
    • Height: 1–4 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full
  • 07 of 07

    Swan River Daisy (Brachyscome iberidifolia)

    Swan river daisy with small purple and white flowers with yellow centers on thin stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    A warm-weather perennial from Australia, the swan river daisy produces small flowers, only about 1 inch in diameter. But the blooms are so colorful and abundant—and the flower works so well with other garden plants—that it can serve as a central feature of any flower garden. Lavender, blue, yellow, or white blooms appear in abundance from summer into fall, while the foliage is a softly textured gray-green hue.

    • Native Area: Australia
    • USDA Growing Zones: 2–8 (annual), 9-11 (perennial)
    • Height: 1 to 1.5 feet
    • Sun Exposure: Full
FAQ
  • Which daisies bloom for a long period?

    Shasta daisies, black-eyed Susans, and African daisies or osteospermum have a longer bloom period, blooming at least three months. Black-eyed Susans will bloom from June to September, and Shastas will produce flowers from July to September. Osteospermums start blooming in late spring, flowering through fall, but slow down during the height of summer.

  • Are all daisies perennial?

    In short, daisies are perennial depending on your USDA growing zone. Marguerite and gerbera daisies are only perennial if grown in zone 9 or higher. Most other daisies are perennial down to zone 3 or 4. Do not confuse hardier golden Marguerites (Anthemis tinctoria) with Marguerite daisies; the two are two different species.

  • Which daisies are the easiest to grow?

    Oxeye daisies are among the easiest daisies to grow. These quintessential daisies self-seed and grow easily; they're even listed as invasive in Washington state. Before planting them in your region, check your local extension for invasiveness.

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