When someone mentions the word daisies, you’ll most likely picture pure white flowers with bright and cheerful yellow centers. The common type of daisy has multiplied so rapidly that many places in the United States see it as an invasive weed. However, they come in thousands of different colors and varieties, ranging from the classic one you know and love to the popular Gerbera daisy, pom-pom Chrysanthemum daisies, or bright Africa daisies. This is why it’s a fun and cheerful flower to add to your garden this spring, and they’re some of the lowest maintenance flowers to grow and coax to thrive.
You can grow different types of daisies from seeds before you drop them directly into your flower beds. No type of daisy needs a lot of attention to grow and thrive, just well-draining soil and plenty of sunshine. Additionally, different types of daisies bloom at different times during the year, so it’s possible to have blooms from early spring until well into the fall months. If you’re ready to add a few types of daisies to your garden, check out this guide. I’m going to outline several beautiful types of daisies below, and you can mix and match to bring a riot of color to your landscape all season long.
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1. English Daisy
As one of the most recognizable types of daisies around, English daisies will start to show their blooms in early April and go into the middle of the summer months. It’s also called the lawn daisy or common daisy, and it comes in a large range of beautiful colors like blue, red, pink, or classic white with a bright yellow center. This daisy can grow over a foot tall when you plant it in well-draining soil and direct sunlight, but it’ll forgive you forgetting to water it because it’s resistant to drought. It’s also resistant to diseases, but you have to watch it to prevent it from taking over.
Daisies – English Camp by Liz Lawley / CC BY-SA 2.0
2. Gloriosa Daisy
Better known as the black-eyed susan, this type of daisy will grow from seeds and thrive all over your yard or garden. As a bonus, they’re resistant to deer while attracting butterflies and bees to pollinate your plants. They have a bright yellow coloring with a dark brown center that creates pops of color around your garden, and they can grow from 18 inches tall up to six feet all, depending on the species. They need full sun for six to eight hours a day. They can also grow in partial shade, but the blooms will turn toward and reach for the sun. They need moderate amounts of water.
Black Eyed Susans by Stanley Zimny / CC BY-NC 2.0
3. Blue Marguerite Daisy
Anyone who wants to add soft touches of sky blue to their landscape design should look at this type of daisy. The Blue Marguerite daisy has a bright yellow center with sky-blue petals. It loves to be in the full sun with a very well-draining soil. It grows better if you live in places where the summer temperatures are mild rather than scorching, and it can get several feet tall. It grows very well from seed, and it doesn’t need much for maintenance for it to grow well. Water it routinely and make sure the soil is rich. It’ll forgive you if you forget to water it.
J20160412-0017—Felicia amelloides—Bertha by John Rusk / CC BY 2.0
4. African Daisy
This type of daisy is perennial, and it works well in temporary landscaping displays. This is a slightly larger daisy that comes in shades of yellow, red, orange, or pink. You can use it as a groundcover for the areas in your yard that get sun for at least six to eight hours a day, and it doesn’t need a lot of water. This makes it great for new gardeners who don’t have time to constantly upkeep their yards. This daisy blooms in the middle of spring and goes well into the summer, and it does best in a slightly sandy soil that drains very well. You won’t have to fertilize it.
African Daisy by Jay Kleeman / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
5. Cape Daisy
This is another type of daisy to add to your garden or yard if you want to bring the color all summer long. It does come in classic white, but it also comes in yellow and rich purple. This daisy is very rich in pollen, and this makes it an excellent option to help attract hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinators. It grows in big bushes that can grow up to three feet wide and four feet tall, so keep this in mind when you plant it. You’ll have to find space in your yard that gets six to eight hours of sun a day in well-draining soil, and you won’t have to water it much to keep it happy.
Cape Daisy – 02 by Adam Wyles / CC BY-ND 2.0
6. Aster Daisy
The Aster daisy is one type of daisy that you want to feature in your butterfly garden because it’s very rich in pollen. This plant will start to bloom in the late summer months, and it’ll continue on well into the fall to give you welcome splashes of color. It’ll attract butterflies and bees, and it’s slightly different from other daisies. It prefers to grow in moist areas with a well draining soil that you keep constantly wet, and it doesn’t like a lot of hot, direct sun. Instead, it likes cooler environments, and this means that you can plant it in partially shaded areas without it losing color.
Asters by Anita Gould / CC BY-NC 2.0
7. Silver Townsendia Daisy
This eye-catching type of daisy has white petals with a bright yellow center. There are small silver-colored hairs that grow around the yellow center to give the whole flower a silver look. They like to grow in sunny areas like most daisies, but they also like slightly gritty soil that errs on the dry side. You should make sure the soil drains well, and you want to water them moderately. You should space them a few inches apart, and you’ll get bright green foliage with slightly larger flowers. Make sure the plant is in full sun or the colors won’t be as bright and the flowers will reach.
Townsendia incana by Amy Washuta / CC BY 2.0
8. Curly Leaf Daisy
This vibrant type of daisy features bold yellow petals that are slightly longer, and they appear to roll underneath themselves to give the plant a very full look. They have yellow centers too with bright green foliage. You’ll get slender stems with larger flowers perched on top and slender leaves. They grow the best when you plant them in sandy or rocky soil, so they’d be a nice addition to any desert landscape design idea. They also grow best in full sun, so make sure your spot gets six to eight hours of sunlight a day so the plants all turn the same direction. You can water them moderately.
Arctotis revoluta (Asteraceae) by Dr. Alexey Yakovlev / CC BY-SA 2.0
9. Chrysanthemum Daisy
Also called the Florist’s Daisy, this type of daisy originates from China as a herbal medicine. They can grow up to 24 inches high under the correct growing conditions, and they come in a broad range of single and bi-colored designs. They start to bloom in the early summer months and can easily go into the early fall, and you can use the immature leaves to make tea to help with your blood pressure. They have a stronger scent associated with them, and they like full sun conditions with dry and slightly sandy soil. Make sure that you water them regularly in the early morning or late afternoon hours.
Chrysanthemum (Florist’s Daisy) by Toshihiro Gamo / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
10. Barberton Daisy
This type of daisy produces striking flowers in bright shades of yellow, orange, red, and pink. You can grow them indoors or outside, but they’ll give you flowers all year round if you plant them inside and keep the temperature steady. They need bright and direct or indirect sunlight for several hours every day, and you want to pick out a rich potting mix to give them a well-draining medium to grow in. Ideally, you’ll get them on a set watering schedule to keep the soil relatively moist without soaking it, and you can deadhead them to encourage new blooms.
Barberton Daisy by Dinesh Valke / CC BY-SA 2.0
11. Osteospermum Daisy
You can find this type of daisy in almost every part of the globe, and it originates from Africa. They’re a perennial flower by nature, and they come in yellow or purple flowers. They have a higher pollen count, and this is great for attracting bees to your yard. This daisy is a bit odd because it does best in shaded areas in your yard, and too much sun can scorch it. They’re not frost-tolerant, but they do very well in containers if you bring them indoors in the cooler weather. You can periodically put them in full sun for a few hours, and water them frequently to keep the soil moist.
Osteospermum Cape Daisy Purple Illusion by Serres Fortier / CC BY 2.0
12. Coneflower
These are pretty types of daisies that come in shades of pink and purple more the most part. Coneflowers can be found in the United States in the Mississippi Valley, and they are very popular among butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. They can grow up to four feet high, and they can easily fill in large areas of your yard with their sheer size and colorful blooms. They should get full sunlight, but you have to water them often because they love consistently moist soil. You should shelter them from harsh rainfall or strong winds because this can damage them if you’re not careful.
Coneflower by Peter Miller / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
13. Ox-Eye Daisy
You’ll find this type of daisy throughout Russia and Europe, and it’s a classic daisy with pure white petals and a bright, sunny yellow center. They start to bloom in the early summer months and continue until the end of June. You get larger flowers on slender stems, and you want to make a point to prune these plants after they bloom and start to wilt to give them an intense bloom next spring. They should have ample sunlight, but tropical regions mean they’ll need afternoon shade. They can do well in all soil types, but they prefer a mix of sand and clay, and they can get up to five feet tall.
Sunny ox-eye daisies (Explored 07/04/2015) by Elena Penkova / CC BY-NC 2.0
14. Mojave Desert Star
You’ll find this type of daisy growing along the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts, and it has a reputation for developing very bright hues with larger petals. Along with the larger flower, this plant has a purple stem with green foliage that helps it stand out, and it offers white ray florets or yellow disc florets that can have a slight pink tinge to them. It’s safe to say that this type of daisy does very well in gritty, sandy soil with plenty of direct sunlight. It likes heat, isn’t cold-hardy, and you can water it sparingly. It’s very drought-tolerant, and it’ll reward you with blooms all summer long.
Daisy Desert Star by B W / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
15. Blue-Eyed Daisy
This is a slightly rare type of daisy that you may have trouble getting ahold of, and it originates in South Africa. As you may tell by the name, it has a pretty blue center that has a thin yellow ring to offset it, and it stands out from the creamy white petals. Once you establish these flowers, they’ll give you numerous blooms all summer long, and it can grow up to two-feet high. The flower can be larger than three inches across, and it does well in a rich but well-drained soil. You want to plant it in an area that gets a lot of sun, and it does well with dry and arid conditions.
Arciotis hybrid – Blue eyed daisy by Chris Gladis / CC BY-ND 2.0
16. Annual Daisy
Obviously, this is a type of daisy that is an annual. This particular plant has a lot in common with the traditional Daisy, including the medicinal properties and the bright, white petals with a cheerful yellow center. The size is the one thing that distinguishes the two because the Annual Daisy is much smaller than the traditional Daisy. You can plant it in containers and use it to decorate your patio by your F, or you can plant it in your flower beds in an area that gets full sun. The soil should drain very well, and it likes a mix of clay and sand to give you a gritty soil.
Daisy by Swedg / CC BY-NC 2.0
17. Dahlberg Daisy
This type of daisy works remarkably well as a colorful and neat groundcover. This is a very fragrant annual plant that will attract a host of pollinators to your yard like bees and butterflies. It’ll bloom later in the season, starting in July and going until the end of August. When it reaches full maturity, it grows in a small bush that is one foot wide by one foot high. This gives it a neat look, and it needs full sun to keep the blooms growing naturally and not reaching for the light. The soil should drain well but be rich with organic matter, and it likes the soil to be slightly sandy.
starr-180323-0112-Thymophylla_tenuiloba-flowers-Kahului_Airport-Maui by Forest and Kim Starr / CC BY 2.0
18. Crown Daisy
Did you know that many people grow this type of daisy as a leafy vegetable to eat and add to various dishes? It’s considered to be very easy to grow, and this is an annual plant that does very well in cold to mild conditions. You’ll find it in Asian cuisine. This daisy is unique because it has white petals with a bright yellow center. Half of the petals are a deep yellow coloring that fade to white to give it a striking appearance. It does like a lot of sun, but it prefers indirect light. You’ll want to water it regularly and keep the soil slightly moist. Make sure the soil drains well and that it’s slightly sandy.
Estrella española * Chrysanthemum coronarium by jacinta lluch valero / CC BY-SA 2.0
19. Livingstone Daisy
This type of daisy comes characterized by having a darker center with white, yellow, orange, and pink petals. They do best in very sunny conditions, and they do well with sea salt. In turn, you can grow them and have them thrive in any seaside garden. They have dark green foliage with slender stems and larger flowers with many petals, and they like rich soil that drains water away. You can water them frequently to keep them happy, and you want to plant them in a place that gets plenty of sun. They like slightly cooler conditions with slight breezes and lower humidity.
Livingstone Daisies by Danielle Haggart / CC BY-NC 2.0
20. Gaillardia Daisy
Better known as blanket flowers, this is a perennial that is very easy to grow and difficult to kill. They like well draining soil with full sun areas, and they have a habit of spreading out once they establish themselves. They have darker centers with a red ring that extends out before turning to yellow on the tips of the petals that makes them eye-catching. This daisy blooms in the mid-summer months, and it has deep green foliage. You should prune it to stop it from taking over your yard, and it’ll bloom profusely once it starts in the summer. Keep the soil moist but not soaked.
Credit: Fiesta Daisy by Patrick Standish / CC BY 2.0
21. Butter Daisy
The Butter Daisy is a type of daisy that has smaller dark yellow flowers and centers, and they really stand out against a host of darker green foliage. It’s an annual plant that you have to put in every year, but it’s a fast growing species that loves the sun. You can use it as groundcover in areas that have well-drained soil that is slightly sandy, and it doesn’t grow that tall. This means that you can put it in front of your garden without fear of it obscuring your view. Protect it from the wind, and make sure you don’t saturate the soil when you water it or it’ll die.
Melampodium divaricatum by Dick Culbert / CC BY 2.0
22. Painted Daisy
This type of daisy comes in several bright and bold hues, including magenta, white, red, and yellow. It has a bright yellow center on it, and you get a large flower that sits on top of a slender stem with smaller leaves. The petals tend to bend down slightly from the center, and it likes areas with full sun. If it doesn’t get enough sun, it’ll start to reach and look lopsided. They do very well as landscape edging, and they can grow up to three feet high with the correct conditions. You should water them sparingly but deeply, and plant them in an area with well-draining, slightly sandy soil.
Painted Daisies by Mafilylle Soveran / CC BY-NC 2.0
23. Chocolate Daisy
You’ll find this type of daisy growing on the plains of Mexico, Texas, and Colorado. This makes it a very drought-resistant cultivar that is very easy to grow from seeds. It is great for beginner gardeners who have very sandy, loamy soil in their yards. It’ll start to bloom in the early spring months and continue straight on into the late fall months. It gets its name from the brown hue by the center of the plant that spreads out to the middle of the petals before turning yellow. The flowers are slightly larger, and it has deep green foliage with elongated oval leaves.
Chocolate flower by Quinn Bombrowski / CC BY-SA 2.0
24. Swan River Daisy
This type of daisy is native to Australia, and it comes in a huge range of purple and blue colors that make it stand out in your landscape. It’ll bloom in larger bushes that are two feet wide and three feet tall, and this will help you fill in areas by your pathways or walkways. The bright yellow centers are offset by the petal’s hues, and it has slightly lighter green foliage. You’ll want to plant it in a location with full sun, and you should make sure that the soil is slightly rich but drains well after you water it. You will want to water this type of daisy regularly to keep it healthy and thriving.
Brachyscome by Philip Bouchard / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
25. Indian Chrysanthemum Daisy
The final type of daisy on the list is one that will start to bloom in the summer and go into the early fall months. It can grow up to two-feet all at full maturity, and you can use the foliage to make herbal teas when it actively blooms. This is another bright yellow daisy with a bright yellow center, and it loves the sun. It needs between six and eight hours of sunlight every day, and you’ll want to find a place that has a slightly sandy soil. Make sure that you water it regularly, and don’t soak the area.
Chrysanthemum rubellum ‘Autumn Bronze’, 2016 by F.D. Richards /
Bottom Line
These 25 colorful and bright types of daisies can create fun pops of color around your home, patio, yard, or garden. They’re relatively easy to grow and maintain, and you can plant several types to get welcome color from the spring into the fall. I invite you to take a look, pick a few out, and put them around your landscape in time for the spring blooms.
Jen is a master gardener, interior designer and home improvement expert. She has completed many home improvement, decor and remodeling projects with her family over the past 10 years on their 4,500 sf Victorian house. She is also a passionate farmer who keeps goats, chickens, turkeys cows and pigs on her farm, and an instructor for her community’s Organic and Sustainable Farming project.