Whether a classic white or one of the more colorful varieties, we recommend including a daisy or two in your perennial garden.
10 Types of Daisies for Your Perennial Garden
Updated on Jul. 11, 2023
Are All Daisies Perennials?
Maybe. Whether or not a particular daisy is a perennial in your garden depends on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone where you reside. But even if a certain daisy isn’t hardy in your zone, you can still grow it as an annual and enjoy it for the summer.
Daisies, whether annual or perennial, are cheerful flowers that attract pollinators to the garden.
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Shasta Daisy
Most Shasta daisies are perennials in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 through 9. The flowers, with white petals and a yellow center, have the classic daisy look.
One of the most common varieties is ‘Becky‘ (Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Becky’), which grows two to three feet tall with a big flush of blooms in early summer. Put it in full sun and deadhead spent blooms, and you’ll enjoy daisies all through the summer.
Another Shasta daisy variety is ‘Alaska,’ hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 9. Grow it from seeds and it will bloom the second year after planting.
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Ox-Eye Daisy
You might find seeds for the ox-eye daisy (Leuanthemum vulgare.) included in wildflower seed mixes. It’s not a native flower. Introduced from Europe, it self-sows easily in Zones 3 through 8, where it’s hardy. In some areas like the Western states, it’s considered invasive and should be avoided.
Once you plant ox-eye daisies, you’ll notice them popping up every spring in places where you didn’t plant them. Fortunately, they’re easy to pull out. Deadhead to keep them from setting seeds.
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Painted Daisies
For a blast of color, mostly in shades of red and pink, grow some painted daisies (Tanacetum coccineum.) You can start seeds indoors to plant out in spring. They should bloom the second year after planting. Or purchase a named variety like ‘James Kelway.‘
Perennials in Zones 3 through 7, painted daisies grow best in full sun with well-drained soil. They can also tolerate partial shade in warmer climates, especially in the afternoon.
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Dahlberg Daisy
If you garden in Zones 9 through 10, you can grow Dahlberg daisies (Thymophylla tenuiloba) as a perennial. Everywhere else, they’re annuals.
Start from seeds by sowing in the garden in spring, or by starting seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost. Sometimes called bristleleaf, these yellow daisies are native to Texas and Mexico and tolerate dry conditions. They’re short enough to be considered a ground cover plant.
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English Daisies
Many of us would love daisies growing in our lawns, and that’s often where English daisies (Bellis perennis), can be found. But one gardener’s lawn flower is another gardener’s weed, so these are most often grown as annuals, often paired with pansies. They’re hardy in Zones 4 through 8.
English daisies come in several shades of pink and white and can be grown from seeds or purchased as plants. They prefer cooler temperatures, which is why they probably do better in England than the hottest areas of the United States.
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Blue Daisy
Yes, there is a blue daisy! It’s called Felicia amelloides and it’s native to South Africa. A perennial in Zones 10 through 11, it’s an annual everywhere else in the U.S.
It only grows up to 10 inches tall, small enough to fit well in a container planting in a sunny location. To keep it producing flowers, cut off spent blooms. You can purchase varieties like ‘Cape Town‘ in the spring.
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Gerbera Daisies
You might find gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) as potted flowers at a local florist, or in the spring at the local garden center. These daisies are only perennial in Zones 8 through 10. Most of us grow them as annuals.
The big flowers come in shades of orange, yellow, pink and red. Deadhead to keep them blooming through the summer. If you’re tempted to try to overwinter them, keep in mind they don’t like to be disturbed. It’s best to bring them indoors in the same pot they grew in all summer and put them where they’ll get bright light.
Be careful not to overwater them once inside. Only water when dry.
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Gloriosa Daisy
Gloriosa daisy is one of the common names given to the perennial flower Rudbeckia hirta. The other is black-eyed Susan. They’re usually hardy in Zones 4 through 9. But because they are often short-lived perennials, some people treat them like annuals and don’t expect them to return the following spring.
Grow them from seeds in the garden. ‘Double Gold’ is an heirloom variety with double the number of yellow petals that grows up to three feet tall. Don’t forget to check out the list of short perennial flowers.
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Leucanthemum ‘Sweet Daisy Birdy’
Leucanthemum ‘Sweet Daisy Birdy‘ is a relatively new Shasta-type daisy, a perennial in Zones 3 through 10. It grows up to two feet tall and flowers early. It will keep flowering if deadhead it regularly.
The white blooms look like regular common daisies from a distance, but up close you’ll notice the center ringed by what looks like tiny white flowers. As with most daisies, these prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They were named an All-America Selections regional winner in 2021.
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Leucanthemum ‘Carpet Angel’
If you want a perennial daisy in your garden but prefer it short enough to be ground cover, ‘Carpet Angel’ may be just what you are looking for. This perennial, named an All-America Selections winner in 2023, grows only six inches tall but spreads out about 20 inches.
Hardy in Zones 4 through 10, it prefers full sun and well-drained soil like most other Shasta-type daisies. With occasional deadheading, it should bloom through the summer.
