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English Daisy
Bellis perennis
Also comes in white and red.
English Daisy blooms from April through June.
This entry comes from our curated library and has not yet been independently checked against outside sources. Curated is not unreliable: a standing audit keeps every entry internally consistent, and the source-by-source check is working through the whole library in the open.
Growing English Daisy
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 6 in tall and 6 in wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant English Daisy
Plant English Daisy in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 8 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from April to June.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Good to know about English Daisy
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Low risk: not on ASPCA's toxic-to-dogs list. Eating a lot can cause mild GI upset; handling can cause contact dermatitis in sensitive people. per NC State and ASPCA
Worth knowing
One thing, its hatred of summer heat, drives everything: it ends the spring bloom, makes the plant short-lived, and lets it self-seed only where summers stay cool. per NC State
Not the toxic 'daisy'
ASPCA's toxic 'Daisy' is actually Chrysanthemum, a different plant. True English daisy (Bellis perennis) is the low-risk one, so do not mix up the two. per ASPCA and NC State
Self-seeds; deadhead to control
It self-seeds heavily into lawns, where it becomes a turf weed in cool, moist regions. Deadhead spent flowers before seed ripens to curb the spread. per NC State and Penn State
Edible in small amounts
The flowers (mildly bitter) and young leaves have long been eaten in small amounts, raw in salads or cooked in soups and teas. per NC State
Deer resistant
Listed as particularly resistant to deer. per NC State
Nectar for pollinators
The open composite flower heads offer nectar to butterflies and other pollinators, a modest generalist forage source rather than a top-tier pollinator magnet. per NC State
What pairs well with English Daisy
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Sneezeweed
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Joe Pye Weed
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; stands well above at 5.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
False Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; stands well above at 3.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; stands well above at 6.6 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Cleome
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into early fall; stands well above at 3.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage.
Feather Reed Grass
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into late summer; stands well above at 4.9 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Crocosmia
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; taller at 3 ft, for the layer behind it.
Cosmos
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; stands well above at 3.3 ft, a canopy to plant beneath; both offer pollinator forage.
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