How to Grow and Care for Marguerite Daisy
A practical reference for growing Marguerite daisies, with information on creating the right environment and providing support for continuous, healthy blooms.
Many searches for “margarie” lead to the Marguerite daisy, a cheerful and widely grown garden flower. This plant, with the scientific name Argyranthemum frutescens, is appreciated for its generous production of flowers and its classic, appealing form. Gardeners value it for its ability to provide continuous color from spring through fall.
What Is a Marguerite Daisy?
The Marguerite daisy is a small, shrub-like plant that forms a mounded shape, growing between one and three feet tall and one to two feet wide. Its foliage is a notable feature, with leaves that are deeply cut or toothed, giving them a fern-like appearance. The blooms themselves are what give the plant its common name, closely resembling the traditional daisy with a central disk surrounded by radiating petals.
Originating from the Canary Islands, this plant is technically a tender perennial. While it often features classic white petals with a yellow center, breeders have developed a range of other colors. It is common to find varieties in shades of pink and yellow, expanding its use in different garden color schemes.
Planting Marguerite Daisies
These plants perform best in a spot that receives at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. The soil should be fertile and well-draining to prevent water from pooling around the roots. A neutral to slightly acidic soil pH is suitable for this plant. Planting should occur in the spring, after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has started to warm.
When setting plants in a garden bed, space individual plants about 12 to 15 inches apart to allow for good air circulation and prevent overcrowding as they grow. Before planting, work about two inches of compost into the soil to enrich it and improve its structure. If using containers, select a pot that is large enough to accommodate the root ball with some room to grow, ensuring it has drainage holes at the bottom.
Ongoing Care and Maintenance
Consistent watering is important, especially when the plants are young or during dry spells. Aim to provide about an inch of water per week, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings to avoid oversaturation. Testing the soil by inserting a finger an inch or two deep can help determine if it’s time to water again.
To support their long blooming season, which lasts from late spring to early fall, feeding the plants is beneficial. Applying a balanced liquid fertilizer every two to four weeks during the active growing period provides the nutrients needed for continuous flower production. Deadheading, or the removal of spent flowers, is a key maintenance task. Regularly snipping off old blooms just above a set of healthy leaves encourages the plant to produce new flowers instead of putting energy into seed production.
Common Marguerite Daisy Problems
Aphids are a common pest that can be found clustered on new growth or the undersides of leaves, sucking sap from the plant. Thrips are another small insect that can cause damage to flowers and foliage. For small infestations, a strong spray of water can dislodge these pests, while insecticidal soap is an effective treatment for more persistent issues.
Root rot is a frequent problem caused by overwatering or soil that does not drain well, leading to yellowing leaves and a wilting plant. Powdery mildew, a fungal disease that appears as a white, dusty coating on leaves, can occur in humid conditions or where plants are too crowded. Proper watering and air circulation, as mentioned in previous sections, are the best prevention for these issues.
Overwintering and Propagation
In climates with cold winters, Marguerite daisies are often treated as annuals because they do not tolerate freezing temperatures. However, it is possible to keep them for the following year by bringing them indoors. Before the first frost, plants grown in containers can be moved to a cool, bright location like a garage or basement where temperatures stay above freezing. Water them sparingly throughout the winter, just enough to keep the soil from drying out completely.
The most common method for creating new plants is taking softwood cuttings in late spring or summer. Select a healthy, non-flowering stem and cut a four- to six-inch piece from the tip. Remove the lower leaves, dip the cut end in rooting hormone, and plant it in a small pot filled with moist potting mix. Kept in a warm, bright place, the cutting should develop roots within a few weeks.