Marguerite Daisy – Argyranthemum frutescens (Chrysanthemum frutescens)

Common Name: Marguerite Daisy, Boston Daisy, Paris Daisy

Botanical Name: Argyranthemum frutescens (Chrysanthemum frutescens), ar-ger-AN-the-mum froo-TES-sens

Decorative Life: 4-7 days.

Flower Color: Pink, White, Yellow

Availability: Summer

Dry handling of freshly harvested flowers is just as good or better than wet conditioning overnight. Stems harvested with thick or thin stems last equally well.

• Member of the Asteraceae or Compositae (aster or sunflower) family.
• Native to the Canary Islands.
• Related species include dahlia, marigold, zinnia, cosmos.

• Flower heads are 2-3inches wide with outer row of ray flowers and yellow center.
• Stems leafy, 10-16 inches long.
• Plant is a semi-woody perennial, classed as a dicotyledon, leaves not parallel veined.

Store at 32-34 F, up to 3 days wet and 7 days dry. However, minimum storage or transport times are advised.

• From the Greek argyros (silver) and anthemos (flower) and “chrysos” (gold) and “anthemos” (flower). The specific epithet name frutescens means “shrubby”.
• Common name may derive from Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI, of the 15th century, who used daisies on her personal banner.
• The Compositae or aster family is vast, with over 20,000 species, and is also one of the most developed families. It was named Compositae because the flowers are actually a “composite” of many individual flowers into one head. Hence, when children pull one “petal” off at a time, saying “she/he loves me, loves me not”, they are actually removing a complete flower, not just a petal.
• White flowers are often dyed to get pink, green, red or blue colors by either submerging or solution uptake techniques.
• One favorite cultivar is ‘Stars Pink’.