The flower, traditionally “consulted” for love relationships, is also one of the first flowers to announce the arrival of spring. It grows wild in any type of soil, but you can also grow it in pots by following the instructions in the article. There are many curiosities about the daisy, the flower that, mostly because of its spontaneous growth, heralds the arrival of spring in almost all soil types, but to be more precise, it is not an actual flower, but a series of many small flowers. Daisies also belong to the leucanthemum family, it is a perennial herbaceous plant that produces the typical inflorescences of the Asteraceae (also known as composites). ADVERTISING The yellow part of the flower, called the “flower head”, is actually made up of many small tubular flowers: on the other hand, the daisy belongs to the Asteraceae or composite family, i.e. species that do not have a single flower on the stem, but an inflorescence of small flowers that also attract different insects and promote pollination . The daisy is also rich in meanings and we must not forget that it is also the only flower used for the famous “M’ama non m’ama” gesture. To explore the meaning of this gesture, we have to take a step back in time, going back to the Middle Ages, when the daisy was used by young women to receive the declaration of a suitor when it was used to decorate the latter’s coat of arms. Otherwise, if daisies were placed on the woman’s head, it meant that she had doubts about the explanation received. This gesture seems to come from Margaret of Provence, who considered the flower as a kind of oracle to which she herself asked questions when she had a sentimental doubt. Her brother had given her the flower so that she would know something about the fate of her husband Louis IX of France, who had been imprisoned by the Saracens. According to legend, Margaret questioned the daisies until her husband returned, after which the woman showed her husband all the petals she had collected during his absence to show her devotion. The king was so impressed that he decided to add three silver daisies to the house standard.
Varieties of margaritas
It is a perennial plant and can belong to two different genera of the same Asteraceae family: the genus Leucanthemum, which includes the Leucanthemum vulgare, the classical daisy, and the Leucanthemum atratum, whose flowers do not exceed 30 cm in height, and the genus Bellis, which includes the Bellis perenni, or the so-called “Pratolina” or the meadow daisy, with smaller rosette petals and a rather creeping habit.
When to grow daisies?
It can be sown outdoors (in the ground or in a pot) from April to August or in February in a protected environment (warm bed or seedbed like this or this one).
How to Grow Daisies in Pots
Exposition
Undoubtedly, full sunlight favors the cultivation of this spring flower. In any case, daisy can be planted in partial shade without this exposure hindering the plant’s development.
Irrigation
The daisy needs to be watered quite frequently: three or four waterings a week in spring, and then daily watering in summer, especially on hotter days. During the vegetative resting phase, it’s best not to water too much: one every two weeks is more than enough. Before watering the daisy, check if the plant really needs water: if the soil is dry, you can continue, otherwise, if it still feels wet, wait until the plant is wet.
Bloom
The inflorescence consists of flower heads with peripheral flowers, white leafy flowers, female flowers and inner flowers in hermaphrodite yellow. Flowering period: March to October. Habitat: uncultivated wet meadows, roadsides, and paths along river banks and streams (0 to 1500 m). Present in all Italian regions.
Tap
Wait until spring, around May, to decant and place them in a larger pot.
Garden Cultivation
Any type of soil is suitable for growing daisy, although in some cases it may be better to use slightly calcareous soil. One rule you should follow is to make sure that the soil is always kept moist and well-drained. As for fertilization, an organic product is recommended, or possibly a slow-release granular fertilizer with a high potassium content in early spring. After all, daisy doesn’t need to be pruned, so it is enough to remove only the damaged parts.
How to Care for Daisy
Daisy is a very hardy plant, but there are some differences between the genera: the genus Bellis is not usually afraid of diseases and pests, while the genus Leucanthemum may be afraid of aphids or snails. It is good not to put it in direct sunlight so that it does not burn its leaves.
