Golden marguerite

Golden marguerite: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Bushy, upright clump 40–60 cm tall and about as wide.

Leaves

Finely divided, grey-green and slightly woolly underneath; smells spicy when crushed.

Flower

Daisy-like heads 3–4 cm across with yellow rays around a golden centre, borne singly on firm stems.

Colour

Golden yellow in the species; cultivars in lemon, pale yellow and cream.

Lifespan

Often short-lived, but it lasts years longer if you cut it back after flowering and grow it in poor soil.

Roots

Fibrous and fairly shallow; it does not spread aggressively.

Flowering: June–September · Sowing: March–April · Plants: March–May and September · Pruning: March and July–August

Why grow it?

• Flowers from June into September, especially if you cut it back after the first flush.
• A real bee and butterfly plant: the open flower centres are full of nectar and pollen.
• Drought-tolerant: ideal for a sunny, lean border, a gravel garden or a bank.
• A good cut flower that lasts well in the vase.
• The fine, grey-green foliage gives an airy effect even when it is not in flower.
• The flowers yield a yellow dye: a fun plant if you want to dye wool or fabric yourself.

Golden marguerite: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: in shade it flowers poorly and flops.
• Poor to moderately fertile, free-draining sandy or loamy soil; acid, neutral or chalky does not matter.
• Dry: wet feet in winter are fatal. Improve heavy clay first with coarse sand or gravel.
• In rich soil it becomes floppy and short-lived: do not feed it.
• Plant 40–50 cm apart, about 4–5 plants per m².

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.6 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Woodland sage: Purple-blue spikes contrasting with the gold; it also likes it dry.
• Catmint: A soft blue haze at the base, for the same sunny, dry spot.
• Sea holly: Steel-blue heads and a bold shape beside the airy daisies.
• Feather grass: Swaying, fine stems that make the planting light and natural.
• Yarrow: Flat heads in other colours, with the same need for sun and dry soil.

Golden marguerite: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September.

1. Plant from March to May or in September, on a dry day when the soil is easy to work.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot; in heavy soil, mix in a few handfuls of gravel or coarse sand.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in the pot, not deeper: the base of the stems must not sit in wet soil.
4. Leave 40–50 cm between plants.
5. Water well at planting and during dry spells in the first weeks; after that hardly at all.
6. If you like, mulch with gravel rather than compost: it keeps the crown dry.

Care

Watering

Only in the first year during long dry spells. After that it fends for itself.

Feeding

Not needed. Manure and compost make it floppy and short-lived.

Deadheading

Remove spent flowers regularly to prolong flowering, or leave a few if you want seed.

Support

Rarely needed on poor soil; in richer soil a low support or neighbouring plants help hold it up.

Rejuvenating

Dividing or taking cuttings every 2–3 years keeps the plant vigorous.

Tip: Cut it back to the leafy rosettes in July or August, straight after the first flowering: it will live for years longer and often flower a second time.

Golden marguerite: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and July–August.

When: Cut it back hard straight after the first flowering, in July or August. In March, clear away the last dead stems.

How:

• Cut all flowering stems back to just above the leafy rosettes at the base, at 5–10 cm.
• This makes the plant form new rosettes, which overwinter better and help it live longer.
• A smaller second flush often follows in September.
• In March, remove dead stems and withered leaves; never cut deep into the living rosettes.

Caution: If you let it flower until it is exhausted, it often dies after two or three years.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In April–May, or after cutting back in August–September: take 5–8 cm cuttings from non-flowering shoots at the base and root them in a sandy mix.

Seed

In March–April indoors, in a light spot at room temperature; barely cover the fine seed. Cultivars do not always come true from seed.

Division

In spring, split older clumps and replant the young outer pieces.

Golden marguerite: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −30 °C: cold is never the problem in Belgium.
• Waterlogged soil in winter is dangerous, though: roots and rosettes rot away.
• Leave the new rosettes after cutting back: they provide next year’s flowers.
• In a pot: use a free-draining mix and move the pot under cover, out of the rain, in winter.

Diseases and pests

• Flopping: In rich soil or shade the clump falls open. Plant in leaner, sunnier conditions and cut back after the first flush.
• Winter rot: The plant has gone after a wet winter. Improve drainage with gravel or plant on a raised spot.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, mainly in late summer. Cutting back and giving enough space is usually enough.
• Aphids: On the stem tips in spring. Natural predators usually deal with them; otherwise hose them off.

Through the year

• March: Cut away dead stems and withered leaves. Plant, or sow indoors.
• April: Plant. Sow indoors. Take cuttings from young shoots.
• May: Last chance to plant. Water young plants in dry weather.
• June: Flowering starts. Cut flowers for the vase.
• July: Full flower. Deadhead; cut back after the first flush.
• August: Cut back hard to the rosettes, if not already done in July.
• September: Smaller second flush. Plant or take cuttings.
• October: Leave the new rosettes in place for winter.
• December: Rest. Make sure no water stands around the crown.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The name tinctoria comes from the Latin word for dyeing: its flowers were once used to dye wool and cloth yellow.
• Botanists long placed it in the genus Anthemis, which is why many catalogues still list it as Anthemis tinctoria.
• The poorer and drier the soil, the more compact the plant stays and the longer it lives.