Discover Argyranthemum frutescens
For many years I was familiar with white argyranthemum frutescens flowers but believed it to be another variety of daisy. At a recent trade show, I saw several new varieties and it caused me to take another look at this flower. I was especially fascinated with the La Rita Pink Lemonade. Like me, many people sometimes confuse this flower with a chrysanthemum or Shasta Daisy. I thought it was time for me to discover more about this plant.
This pretty flower is also known as Paris Daisy or Marguerite Daisy. The plant is native to the Canary Islands, which is part of Spain, but in other countries including Italy and the US (Southern California), it has been naturalized. It is commonly found in white but you can also find them in apricot, lavender, magenta, pink, and yellow. Argyranthemum frutescens is the national flower of Denmark.
The word argyranthemum means “silvery flowers” and the species name of frutescens means becoming “shrubby”. This is an appropriate description for the plant as it is a perennial shrub that will grow 2 – 3 feet tall. It is a great plant for containers especially in cooler geographic areas where the plant is not hardy. The plant produces daisy-like flowers that are 2.5 inches in diameter.
The flowers start blooming in the spring and with some varieties continue to flower through the fall. If you want some early spring color in your garden, give this flower a try. In addition to the beautiful flowers, the plant has fern-like foliage, which makes the plant pretty even without flowers. Like many of the flowers in the daisy family, Argyranthemum frutescens attracts pollinators.
This plant is a sun lover and looks great as a border or in a flower bed and looks wonderful with other cool weather plants like pansies and violas. The blooms also look great mixed in a flower arrangement. While newer Argyranthemum are much more heat tolerant than older varieties, they will still do best with cool night temperatures. This is why they grow well in coastal locations.
Grow this plant in moist, well-drained rich soil in full sun or light shade. If it is too dry or hot, the flowers will start to fade, so be sure to add a layer of mulch to retain the moisture. The plant does require some maintenance and upkeep. Trim off the flower heads after they fade and die to encourage more blooms. Your plant might not bloom as well in the hot summer, but if you leave it, the plant usually bounces back in the fall.
If you grow this plant, let us know if you have any tips.
