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What is a Marguerite Daisy?

Dee Saale
Dee Saale
Dee Saale
Dee Saale

The marguerite daisy, also known by its Latin name Argyranthemum frutescens, is a popular landscaping flower. Depending on the species, it can range in color from white to yellow to pink to purple. It grows well in a wide range of climates, but thrives in cool weather. Some people believe it looks similar to the Shasta daisy, but the marguerite daisy is a bit more shrub-like.

The blooms of the marguerite daisy are fullest in the fall and spring months, when the weather is cool. It will bloom, albeit a little less prolifically, in the summer months as well. Once the first frost hits, however, and the temperature dips below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (O degrees Celsius), the plants will become damaged.

Butterflies are attracted to marguerite daisies, making the flowers popular for butterfly gardens.
Butterflies are attracted to marguerite daisies, making the flowers popular for butterfly gardens.

Lighting is not a big issue with the marguerite daisy. It can grow well in both full and partial sunlight. The plant can reach heights and widths of 2 feet (0.61 m). Unlike many plants, this daisy only requires moderate watering. In fact, it can even live indoors for short periods of time, if an early or late frost may occur.

It is generally believed that most varieties of marguerite daisies originated in the Canary Islands. The various species and subspecies may be the results of hybridizing. Depending on the species of the daisy, it may have been imported from several areas around the world. For example, the blue marguerite daisy came from South Africa and the white Harvest Snow daisy was brought to other areas from Germany.

The marguerite daisy is often used as a border in gardens and along fences. Because of the abundance of brightly colored blooms, many people plant them in containers for their patio gardens as well. In addition, they attract bees and butterflies, making them popular in butterfly gardens. Because they thrives in cooler climates, they are often added to alpine gardens, also.

Diseases and pests rarely affect the marguerite daisy. It prefers, though, to grow in soil that drains well. If the soil retains water, the plant may be susceptible to rot, mold, and mildew. Although rather uncommon, pests such as aphids, mites, and thrips, may infest the plant. There are pesticides that can alleviate these problems.

Considered a perennial, the marguerite daisy grows for about two to three seasons. During the blooming season, gardeners can increase the blooms and the thickness of the plant by trimming back the blooms. Each time the blooms are trimmed, they will grow back a bit thicker.

Dee Saale
Dee Saale

Dee is a freelance writer based in Colorado. She has a B.A. in English Literature, as well as a law degree. Dee is especially interested in topics relating to medicine, legal issues, and home improvement, which are her specialty when contributing to HomeQuestionsAnswered.

Learn more...
Dee Saale
Dee Saale

Dee is a freelance writer based in Colorado. She has a B.A. in English Literature, as well as a law degree. Dee is especially interested in topics relating to medicine, legal issues, and home improvement, which are her specialty when contributing to HomeQuestionsAnswered.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

AliBee

I have what I think is a marguerite daisy. It's been doing very well for the past three years. It's in a large pot and only blooms in early to late fall. I live in the New England zone. Last year, two of the stems grew up to six feet tall! I didn't pinch them down, or know how to take care of them, but they didn't really flower.

Before the winter, I cut the stems down and evened it out.

It was looking really healthy earlier this month but now the leaves and stems seem to be eaten and limp.

I really want this plant to survive because it was a gift from somebody who has passed away. Should I re-pot it with fresh soil? Should I spray it with something? Has it grown too big for the pot? Should I separate it a bit? Does anybody have any answers?

manykitties2

@popcorn - I am surprised that your marguerite daises survived the sudden transition in how much water you were giving them. Usually if a plant is suffering from over watering and starting to die you need to move it to a new pot and fresh soil, as just stopping the watering will send the plant into shock. The plant may also stop getting nutrients because the waterlogged roots are more inefficient.

When you are making the move to put your plant in a new pot, make sure to remove all of the old soil and rotted roots before the change in location. This will help your plant flourish.

popcorn

Marguerite daisies are really beautiful but you have to be careful with how much you water them. I got a gorgeous potted spread of marguerite daisies and within a month the flowers had started to fall off and the leaves began going limp.

I always thought you were supposed to water flowers regularly, but apparently marguerite daisies are a variety of flower that enjoys drier soil. I stopped watering them as often, and went to about once a week and they got better.

A good rule of thumb is to water when you can’t feel any moisture in the soil, even if you stick your finger in the soil three to four inches down.

shell4life

My sister volunteered to help plant the flower garden at her local park. She planted marguerite daisies, and they attracted butterflies like crazy! The park is near a university, so the flowers with the butterflies also attract many photography and art students who are working on projects.

The children at the park love to visit the garden to see all the butterflies. My sister actually threw a butterfly party at the park for a group of kids that she babysits. She took them there and handed out paper and crayons so that they could draw the scene.

orangey03

@JessiC - I live in a warm climate in Zone 7, and margueritte daisies bloom here until mid-summer. The margueritte daisy can be grown in Zones 3-8. Though it prefers the cooler weather of spring and fall, it blooms until the temperature at night reaches and stays above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I have read that they do well in coastal areas, probably because of the good drainage in sandy soil.

The margueritte daisy keeps its dark green foliage even when the blooms disappear. This could make a great background for other flowers to grow against while the daisy blooms take their summer break.

JessiC

Although I’ve always liked Shasta daisies, I don’t believe I am very familiar with the kind in this article. I'm wondering if margerite daisies are easier or more difficult to grow because they don't seem to be as popular.

That could be due to the region where I live, though. I notice that they might need to be in cooler areas, and I wonder if that is why I haven’t run across one yet.

We have some pretty great garden entrepreneurs around this area, but it is very hot. It is not uncommon to see lemon trees and tropical plants outside from May through September, actually.

Anyone have an idea as to whether or not these flowers are able to be grown in that kind of climate, or do I need to just stick with my daisy perennials?

nanny3

I love flowers of all kinds, both perennials and annuals. Some of my favorites are definitely daisies though. They just look so happy and they always make me think of comfortable summers.

I particularly like to pair up a purple wave petunia with yellow daisies. The daisies in the back and the petunias in the front make for a striking combination to any yard. However, I live in a fairly warm area so I have to make sure they are in very well shaded areas.

The petunias can take the heat, but the daisies that I use fare much better where it is a little bit cooler throughout the heat of the day.

mabeT

I would love to try growing daisies, but I am not very good at starting flowers from seed. It seems like I can sprout them, but they all die once they get to about an inch or so tall.

I’ve never seen any of our local nurseries sell them in containers for planting, and I felt a little silly asking the clerk to special order a daisy!

Do any of the daisy geniuses of the world have any tips for how I could grow them myself? I must admit that while I love the look of most daisies, I am not too fond of paying so much for flowers that I could potentially start from daisy seeds myself.

I’ll save all of that extra money for the more exotic plants and flowers that I love.

golf07

I have several different types and colors of daisies in my yard, and enjoy all of them. I have a spring birthday, and received some African Daisies from a friend for a gift one year. There were unique looking because they did not look quite like your typical Shasta Daisy and had some pretty purple color to them.

They were easy to grow, like most daisies, and bloomed in my garden all summer. I tired to save some seeds and plant some new ones the next year, but they never took off. I enjoyed them so much the year before though, so went to the garden center and bought some new ones.

bagley79

I have always enjoyed any kind of daisy - they always look cheerful, carefree and any that I have ever had are easy to take care of. In my front flower garden I have a purple and blue color theme and was looking for some more flowers to add.

When I saw the Blue Marguerite Daisy perennials in the gardening catalog, I had to try some. I get the most prolific blooms in the fall and they do self seed and spread which is exactly what I wanted them to do.

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    • Butterflies are attracted to marguerite daisies, making the flowers popular for butterfly gardens.
      By: boule1301
      Butterflies are attracted to marguerite daisies, making the flowers popular for butterfly gardens.