15 Interesting Facts About Daisies

15 Interesting Facts About Daisies

Daisies are one of the most common wildflowers in the world. Not only are these flowers beautiful to behold, but they also play an important role in the environment. Daisies play a crucial role in the ecosystem. The flowers serve as food for many animals, including bees, butterflies, and birds. The bright colors and nectar of the flowers attract pollinators, while the seeds provide food for birds. Daisies also help to stabilize soil by preventing erosion.

In this article, we highlight interesting facts about daisies. We will learn about their different types, unique characteristics, and many benefits. We also highlight the history and cultural significance of daisies, and share some interesting facts about these amazing flowers. Let’s delve into the article. 

1. Daisies are one of the most recognizable flowers in the world 

Daisies have a very long flowering season and will even produce a few flowers in the middle of mild winters. Well known because of their bright white petals and sunny yellow centres, they symbolize summer meadows, carefree days, and innocent joy. However, daisies are more than just pretty flowers. They are also important members of the plant ecosystem. Daisies help the ecosystem by providing nectar for pollinators and other animals and helping to stabilize soil.

2. Daisies are the national flowers of the Netherlands

Txllxt TxllxT, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Many European countries already have a national flower. The daisy has been chosen as the national flower. This was announced at the National Flower Election in the Netherlands. 

Botanical philosopher Norbert Peeters adds: “It is a flower that most Dutch people recognize. When you think of the Netherlands and flowers, you probably quickly think of the tulip. It was not among the five candidates because the tulip does not grow wild in the Netherlands. The daisy blooms all year round in many places.

3. Daisies come in a variety of shapes and sizes

Daisies are found all over the world, with numerous species adapted to different climates and conditions. However, they all share some common characteristics. Daisy flowers are typically made up of a central disk of tiny yellow flowers surrounded by a ring of white petals. 

The petals are actually modified leaves, and they help to attract pollinators to the flower. The disk of yellow flowers contains the reproductive parts of the plant, and after pollination, they develop into seeds.

4. Daisies belong to the Asteraceae family

Paul van de Velde from Netherlands, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The family Asteraceae, with the original name Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae were first described in the year 1740.  Asteraceae is an economically important family, providing food staples, garden plants, and herbal medicines. 

The distinguishing characteristic of Asteraceae is their inflorescence, a type of specialised, composite flower head or pseudanthium, technically called a calathium or capitulum, that may look superficially like a single flower. In plants of the Asteraceae, what appears to be a single daisy-type flower is actually a composite of several much smaller flowers, known as the capitulum. 

5. The name Daisy is derived from the Old – English meaning day’s eye

The name daisy, possibly originating with this plant, is considered a corruption of day’s eye because the whole head closes at night and opens in the morning.  This is likened to human eyes because the petals open at dawn and close at dusk.

6. Daisies are native to Europe 

tom-oneill, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Daisies are native to western, central and northern Europe, including remote islands such as the Faroe Islands. Daisies prefer field-like habitats. Daisies have however become widely naturalised in in most temperate regions, including America and regions of Asia, and all over the world and can now be found on every continent except Antarctica. 

Daisies are very adaptable plants and can thrive in a variety of climates and habitats. They can be found growing in meadows, fields, forests, and even on roadsides.

7. Some daisy species are edible flowers

Some daisy species, like the oxeye daisy, are edible. Daisies may be used as a potherb. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked, though the leaves become increasingly astringent with age.

Flower buds and petals can be eaten raw in sandwiches, soups and salads. It is also used as a tea and as a vitamin supplement.

8. Daisies are a popular choice for weddings 

MONGO, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In addition to their ecological importance, daisies are also popular ornamental plants. They are often grown in gardens and flower beds, and they are also used in cut flower arrangements. 

Daisies are also a popular symbol of innocence, purity, and new beginnings. They are often given as gifts to celebrate births, weddings, and other special occasions. Daisies are known for the romantic, he loves me, he loves me not game where one plucks off petals one by one to predict love.

9. Daisies are actually two flowers in one

The center of the flower is made up of hundreds of tiny yellow flowers, called florets, while the white ring around the outside is made up of another type of floret with elongated petal structures. 

The flowerheads are composite, about 2 to 3 cm in diameter, in the form of a pseudanthium, consisting of many sessile flowers with white ray florets, often tipped red and yellow disc florets. Each inflorescence is borne on a single leafless stem 2 to 10 cm, rarely 15 cm tall. The capitulum, or disc of florets, is surrounded by two rows of green bracts known as phyllaries. The achenes are without pappus.

10. Daisies are perennial flowers

Industrees, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

This means they return year after year, providing a consistent burst of beauty in gardens. The species generally blooms from early to mid summer, although when grown under ideal conditions, it has a very long flowering season and will even produce a few flowers in the middle of mild winters.

The species is still considered a valuable ground cover in certain garden settings, for example as part of English or cottage-inspired gardens, as well as spring meadows where low growth and some color is desired in parallel with minimal care and maintenance while helping to crowd out noxious weeds once established and naturalized.

11. Some Daisy species possess medicinal properties

Some daisy species, like the Bellis perennis, are believed to have mild medicinal properties for skin issues and coughs. Bellis perennis has astringent properties and has been used in herbal medicine.

An astringent, sometimes called adstringent is a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues. In medicine, astringents cause constriction or contraction of mucous membranes and exposed tissues and are often used internally to reduce the discharge of blood serum and mucous secretions.

12. The world’s largest daisy is the Gerbera daisy

Jim Evans, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gerbera is also commonly known as the African daisy. The Gerbera daisy can grow to be over 12 inches in diameter. Gerbera species are tufted, caulescent, perennial herbs, often with woolly crowns, up to 80 cm high. Leaves are all in rosette, elliptical with entire or toothed margin or lobed, petiolate or with a petaloid base, pinnately veined, often leathery and felted beneath. 

Single to several flowers stems from each rosette bear bracteate or ebracteate, simple, one-headed inflorescence capitulum. Capitula are radiate, with several rows of bracts. Ray florets are female, 2-lipped, the outer lip is large and strap-shaped, inner lip consists of two small, thread-like lobes of white, pink or red, rarely yellow colour. Disc florets are fertile, five-lobed and irregularly 2-lipped with curled petals.

13. The world’s smallest daisy is the Erigeron pygmaeus

Erigeron pygmaeus is a very small daisy, rarely exceeding 6 centimeters in height. It forms clumps or small mats of hairy, glandular foliage with leaves under four centimetres in length. 

The inflorescence consists of a single small flower head with dark phyllaries. Each head contains 20–37 blue or purple rarely white ray florets surrounding many golden yellow disc florets.  Erigeron pygmaeus is native to eastern California and western Nevada, in the Sierra Nevada, the White Mountains, and a few other nearby ranges. It grows in rocky soils at high elevations in subalpine forests, flats, and talus.

14. Daisies are pollinator-friendly flowers

Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons

Daisies are pollinator-friendly, attracting butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects to the garden. The flowers serve as food for many animals, including bees, butterflies, and birds. The bright colors and nectar of the flowers attract pollinators, while the seeds provide food for birds. 

15. Daisies have traditionally been used for making daisy chains in children’s games

A garland created from the daisy flower, generally as a children’s game is called a daisy chain. One method of creating a daisy chain is to pick daisies and create a hole towards the base of the stem such as with fingernails or by tying a knot. The stem of the next flower can be threaded through until stopped by the head of the flower. 

By repeating this with many daisies, it is possible to build up long chains and form them into simple bracelets and necklaces. Another popular method involves pressing the flower heads against each other to create a look similar to a caterpillar. In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, before Alice’s adventures begin, she is seen sitting outside with her sister considering whether to make a daisy chain, before being interrupted by a White Rabbit.

From this article, we have explored the many fascinating aspects of daisies, from their biology and ecology to their cultural significance. We also learnt about some of the different types of daisies that exist, and how to grow and care for them in your own garden.