What Is the Classification of a Daisy?

The Daisy Family

• Most plants referred to as daisies are in the Asteraceae or sunflower plant family -- the largest plant family on earth, with over 24,000 species. All plants in the family have certain flower characteristics in common. The ray flowers are composed of the outer petals that are usually highly colored and form a circle around the smaller, less colorful disk flowers. The disk flowers are grouped together in a tight button and are the part that develops into seeds after pollination occurs.

The Common English Daisy

• Daisies cannot be defined as a single plant. However, the common lawn, or English, daisy (Bellis perennis) is generally considered the archetypal species representing this common plant name. This species is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 10 and is sometimes planted as an ornamental, but is more often found growing on its own in lawns. The ray flowers are typically white with a button of yellow disk flowers in the center. The flowers are about 1 inch in diameter and rise only an inch or two above the leaves, helping to insure they don't get cut by lawn mowers.

Landscape Classification

• The tiny English daisy is best suited as a rock-garden specimen, but there are many other daisies that grow larger and are most at home in a perennial flower border. For example, the Shasta daisy (Chrysamthemum superbum) has flower stalks up to 3 feet tall with flowers 2 or 3 inches across. It grows in USDA zones 5b through 9a and the flowers are virtually identical to the common lawn daisy in appearance, only larger. Many daisies will seed themselves in the landscape, making them ideal for wildflower gardens and naturalized meadows.

Horticulture Classifications

• Daisies are generally perennials, meaning they do not die after they flower and set seed, but re-grow from their roots year after year. They also tend to be sun loving, but tolerant of partial shade, though flowering is reduced. They are the type of perennials that should be cut back after flowering to encourage repeat blooming -- most will bloom continuously from spring through fall. Finally, they are known as excellent cut flowers for making indoor arrangements, sometimes lasting up to a week in a vase of water.