Yard and Garden Perennial Flowers: Interesting Facts about Daisies

Daisies are one of the most dainty and pretty flowers in the world. But don’t think that daisies are all looks and no substance. Because they’re versatile, hardy, and have several symbolisms. Which is why daisies are the fifth most popular flower in the world.

However, when most people think of daisies, they always imagine the image of the common daisy that has white petals with a yellow eye. Where, in fact, there are several types of daisies in the world. In fact, daisies are considered to be one of the largest plant families in the world, and they make up about 10% of the world’s total flowering plant population. In this article, we are going to tell you some exciting facts about daisies that you may now know.

Daisies Come in Almost Every Color, Except Blue – As we mentioned, several types of daisies exist in the world. Along with this, they are also found in nearly every color in nature, except for blue. So if you happen to see any blue daisy personally, we’re sorry to break it to you, it is artificially created.

Daisy Leaves are Edible – Daisy petals are sometimes used in salads, soups, and even sandwiches. This is because aside from their pretty looks, they also offer a healthy dose of Vitamin C, and some people even say they taste good.

Daisies Have a Host of Medicinal Properties – During the ancient times, people used daisies to treat a wide variety of physical ailments, such as the common cold, indigestion, and even muscle pain. We can’t necessarily prove to their effectiveness, but looking at its effectiveness, we guess that the jury is still out.

They Enjoy a Full Night of Shut-eye – Like us, humans, daisies love to catch some sleep at night. They may not be literally sleeping, but they close their petals over their eyes, and they do not open it until the sun rises in the morning. This is also the reason why daisies got their name. Because in old English, they were called “daes eag,” which means day’s eye. This refers to their petals or eye that stays open during the day then shuts during the night.

Daisies are a Tad Bit too Durable – Daisies have the ability to thrive in the most inhospitable conditions known to man. In fact, they can even grow on the top of ice-cold mountains, even in arid plains. You can find daisies pretty much everywhere, except in Antarctica. Their durability and versatility also made daisies a severe weed problem in several parts of the world. in fact, they spread like wildfire, and even plant pesticides struggle to keep them away.

Each Daisy is Two Flowers in One – You read that right, daisies are merged flowers, which means that for every daisy you see, you are actually looking at two flowers. Its outside petals or also called rays are one flower, and its central disc is another flower. And since the two flowers mixed well together, daisies have become one of the symbols of true love.

Daisies Have Incredibly Rich Symbolism -Aside from being a symbol of true love, daisies also represents friendship and cheerfulness. They also symbolize purity and innocence. This is all thanks to a Celtic legend, which states that whenever an infant died, God would scattering daisies across the earth in order to console the grieving family.

In Norse mythology, were the flowers of the goddess Freya daisies who was considered to be the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty. Eventually, daisies also became a representation of motherhood, childbirth, and new beginnings.

Sunflowers are the Daisy’s Big Cousin – Most of you probably thought that daisies looked like sunflower’s miniature version. This is because daisies and sunflowers belong to the same plant family.