Blue daisy

Blue daisy: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact, bushy sub-shrub about 40 cm tall and wide, with many thin, branching stems.

Leaves

Small, oval, 2–4 cm, fresh green and rough to the touch, opposite.

Flower

Daisy-like, 2–3 cm, with blue ray florets and a yellow disc, from June to October.

Colour

Sky blue; there are also forms with white-edged or variegated leaves.

Roots

Fine and shallow; they like free-draining soil and rot with wet feet.

Flowering: June–October · Sowing: February–March · Plants: May · Pruning: April and July

Why grow it?

• Flowers from June to October with sky-blue daisies, a colour that is rare in summer.
• Compact and neat: ideal for pots, containers, balconies and the front of the border.
• Tolerates drought and full sun, so a good choice for a warm patio.
• Attracts bees and other insects to the patio.
• Can be overwintered frost-free and then grows into a nice little bush the following year.

Blue daisy: where does it grow best?

• Full sun: the flowers only open well in bright, warm conditions.
• Free-draining, not-too-rich soil: sandy or loamy, acid to chalky. In pots use good potting compost with some coarse sand.
• Dry to normally moist; no wet feet.
• A warm, sheltered spot on a patio or balcony, or at the front of a sunny border.
• Space plants 30–40 cm apart; a 30 cm pot holds two to three plants.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.4 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Tolerates light frost (to -2 °C)

Goes well with

• Pelargonium: Red or white ‘geraniums’ make a strong contrast with the blue flowers.
• Verbena: Flowers from summer to autumn and likes the same sun.
• Strawflower: Silver-grey foliage or yellow flowers make a lovely contrast.
• Lavender: A fragrant, sun-loving neighbour for a warm patio.
• Gazania: Orange or yellow flowers that also open in the sun.

Blue daisy: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May.

1. Plant out in May, once the last night frost has passed.
2. Harden off home-grown plants first for a week: outside by day, inside at night.
3. Use free-draining potting compost or, in the border, mix a little coarse sand into the soil.
4. Set the plants at the same depth as in their pots, 30–40 cm apart.
5. Water in well straight away and keep the soil lightly moist for the first weeks.

Care

Water

Let the top layer of compost dry out before watering again. In summer in pots usually every other day; in the border only in prolonged drought.

Feeding

In pots, use a liquid feed for flowering plants every two weeks; in the border every four weeks.

Deadheading

Remove spent flowers to keep the display going.

Pinching out

Pinch out the young shoots when planting for a bushier plant.

Sun

Choose a sunny spot: with too little light it stays sparse and flowers poorly.

Tip: Put it in full sun in free-draining compost and remove spent flowers. Overwintered frost-free, it grows into a little bush the following year.

Blue daisy: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April and July.

When: In April for overwintered plants and lightly in July after the first flush.

How:

• Cut overwintered plants back by about half in April, to just above a few leaves.
• In July remove spent tips and long, sparse shoots for a second flush.
• Cut dead or weak stems out completely.
• Keep the plant bushy by regularly pinching out the tips.

Caution: Do not cut into old bare wood: it is slow to regrow there. Leave at least a few leaves on each stem.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Sow indoors in February–March at about 18–20 °C. Scatter the fine seed on damp seed compost and barely cover it. Prick out when the seedlings are big enough.

Cuttings

In August–September: take 5–8 cm cuttings from non-flowering shoots, remove the lower leaves and insert in damp compost. Overwinter them frost-free and in the light.

Blue daisy: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −2 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Only moderately hardy: it tolerates light frost down to about −2 °C, but dies in hard frost.
• Bring potted plants indoors before the first night frost, frost-free and in a bright spot at about 5–10 °C.
• Water little in winter; too much water is the main reason it does not survive.
• Take a few cuttings in late summer as insurance for next year.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: The plant wilts and the base turns black. Usually caused by too much water, especially in winter. Provide free-draining soil and drainage holes in pots, and water less.
• Aphids: Small insects on the young tips. Rinse off with water or let ladybirds clear them.
• Whitefly: Tiny white flies under the leaves, especially when overwintering indoors. Hang yellow sticky traps and give the plant good ventilation.
• Sparse, bare plant: Too little light or never cut back. Give it more sun and pinch the tips regularly.

Through the year

• February: Sow indoors at about 18–20 °C.
• March: Keep sowing. Prick out seedlings.
• April: Cut back overwintered plants.
• May: Plant out after the last frost. Pinch out the first tips.
• June: First flowers. Water and feed.
• July: Full flower. Cut back lightly after the first flush.
• August: Second flush of flowers. Take cuttings.
• September: Flowering. Take cuttings and prepare pots for winter.
• October: Last flowers. Bring plants you want to keep indoors, frost-free.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The flowers open in the sun and close in dull weather and in the evening.
• The genus name Felicia was given by the botanist Cassini, after a German official called Herr Felix.
• It belongs to the daisy family (Asteraceae), like the daisy, sunflower and dahlia.