From asters to zinnias, daisies are some of the most-loved flowers in the world. Whether the simple, childish form of the gerbera appeals, or you prefer the big and blousy aspect of the dinnerplate dahlia, there is literally a daisy for every inclination and occasion. That’s why florists love them so much. But, there’s more to these beautiful blooms than meets the eyes.
10 Surprising Facts About Daisies
1. Day’s Eye. If you’ve ever wondered how the daisy got its name, wonder no more. In Old English, the flowers were called ‘dægeseage’, which means ‘day’s eye’, referring to the fact that most daisies open their petals as the sun rises and close them as the sun begins to set.
2. Some daisies use camouflage. Of course, not every species within the daisy family closes its petals at night. But those that do, do so as a form of camouflage. Researchers from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, found that many herbivores are unable to distinguish between leaves and petals when the flowers close. As most herbivores prefer the protein-rich flowers, if they can see them they will eat them. But the plants need their flowers for reproduction, so they protect themselves when pollinators are not around. Others simply bloom in colours that herbivores can’t discriminate.
3. Daisies are comprised of many flowers. You might not think it, but the daisy is made up of many, many tiny flowers. With the large external petals, and a bight centre comprised of scores of tiny flowers all pressed together. The term for this is a ‘composite flower’.
4. Daisies were traditionally viewed as a gift to bereaved parents. According to Celtic mythology, whenever a child died, God would sprinkle daisies over their grave as a compensation to its parents. This may have had its roots in the fact that in Norse mythology, the daisy is the sacred flower of Freya – goddess of love, fertility, battle, and death.
5. He loves me, he loves me not… Going back to that flower within a flower thing. It’s because daisies are composite flowers that they are so strongly associated with love. The external petals seamlessly unite with the many petals of the internal flower, just as couples should unite in a lasting relationship. And that’s why the poor daisy is such a popular choice for pulling apart as a means of divination by the lovelorn.
6. He loves me, he loves me not… a lot. And on that, the poor old daisy was used and abused for that very purpose for the world’s largest game of ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ in Milan in 2009. A total of 331 people participated. It seems like a terrible waste of flowers to us!
7. There are many, many daisies. Daisies make up around 10% of all flowering plants on the planet. Just think about that for a minute. 10% of all flowers. Wow.
8. The daisy is the largest flowering plant family in the world. OK, so you already knew that there were lots of different varieties of daisy, ranging in size from fleabane to sunflowers. But did you know that the Asteraceae family boasts more than 23,000 species?
9. Daisies are tough. Although daisies look decidedly delicate, they’re actually one of the toughest flowering plant species around. They grow almost anywhere, from the tops of mountains to seemingly barren deserts.
10. Daisies are more than just a pretty face. Historically, daisies have been used in a wide variety of medicines. They are thought to relieve indigestion, ease back pain, slow bleeding, and alleviate coughs.
So, there you go, gorgeous, varied, and really quite interesting. We give you, the daisy.
Feeling inspired? You can find no end of daisies in our freshly made floral arrangements. Have a browse and see how the daisy could brighten your day.