Daisy-like Flowers
Tuesday, February 23, 2010I wish that I could have more of these pretty and cheerful blooms in my garden. They are just spectacular!
Gomphrena was the champion amongst the many seeds that I have sown earlier. But Mexican Sunflower is the shinning star! The intense orange colour is just amazing.
My first flower bloomed in an unusual way. The disk-florets in the centre opened while the petal-like orange ray florets were still rolled up. Then I learnt that daisies are made up of two types of flowers - disk florets in the centre and petal-like florets at the periphery. Together, they give the appearance of being a single flower known as capitulum.
Mexican Sunflower is native to Central American and Mexico. During hot sunny days the plant can collapse like the pic below.
But after watering, the plant will look good again. So, it requires a bit of attention on the watering. Or maybe I wasn't using a container deep enough. Nevertheless, overall it is quite an easy plant to start from seed.
The other plant that I have in my garden that looks like a large daisy is African Daisy (Gerbera). She is just as pretty! The flower can last for more than a week even when under the hot sun.
African Daisy is native to South Africa.
Both plants are of the aster, daisy or sunflower family: Asteraceae/Compositae.
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25 comments
Oh, Steph it is gorgeous and I am not an orange color kind of gal. I can see more seeds coming LOL! The Gerbera is a beaut too.
ReplyDeleteLona
My sister-in-law had a black dress and orange Gerbera for her wedding to my youngest brother, a breath taking sight! After that appearence I always fancy Gerberas, and orange coloured flowers. They are both beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are gorgeous! Mexican Sunflower and a different kind of African Daisy, Gazania, grow well here. I haven't noticed Gerbera Daisy here, except in flower shops.
ReplyDeleteFlowers seem to have intricate beauty when look at closely as the bees would ... and it is the same beauty with exactness in colour. A real beauty Steph... It rains heavily here this morning..., haha, my tomato plants bow as rains pass by!! ~bangchik
ReplyDeleteI had these Mexican sunflowers for years.They self seeded themselves. But last year's heavy rains killed them completely.One should be careful with the water, with these flowers.
ReplyDeleteSurprise to note that your Gerbera look so leggy? Are they suppose to do that?
ReplyDeleteMexican Sunflower do a lovely flower arrangement and they look good too as dried flowers.
This Mexican sunflower is a winner. I just love the mass of many many pretty little plants in the centre of the flower.
ReplyDeleteLona, I have collected seeds from the Gerbera already. But for the Mexican Sunflower, I would wait for a little while more LOL :-D
ReplyDeleteMia, oh that's outrageous!
Diane, ha ha... I am looking for Gazania but there is no problem in finding one here.
Bangchik, one thing that amazes me about Mexican Sunflower is that the stem is strong even when the plant is young. The plant can withstand the downpour.
Lotusleaf, thanks for that tip!
James, this Gerbera is a 'bigger version' type. The leaves and flowers are bigger in size than those Gerberas sold in small pots. This one comes in big black pot.
Autumn Belle, yes that flower is definitely a sure winner :-D
I wonder what happened to my post, after clicking and clicking on the post comment a blank space returned, i hope it is already there! Whew!
ReplyDeleteSo i really lost the 1st one, never mind i will repeat. I said my Malaysian friend who was here last week said that it is hotter in KL than here, and that is comforting. I feel it is very hot here outside the building.
ReplyDeleteThat sunflower, i planted it a few years ago but susceptible to aphids, mealy bugs and powdery mildew during summer, so i did not plant the seeds again. It also have branches making sprays of very bright orange flowers. I am sorry, now i have 2 comments here, hehe.
Thanks for your kind words. I missed my fellow bloggers. I have a whole lot to catch up on your blog. You got a fabulous set of succulents....see you around...
ReplyDeleteA stunning photo of beautiful flowers. Thanks so much for posting these incredible delights of nature.
ReplyDeleteI really love Gerbera Daisies... I wish I can grow lots and lots of them!!! They always make a house look so much nicer :)
ReplyDeleteOh, so that's Mexican Sunflower! I never know the name.
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago, I have a few of this plant in my Saigon garden but eventually I lost them! Will look for them again.
Hi Steph. The Tithonia (Bolivian Sunflower) I grow is Tithonia diversifolia. It is much taller (10 feet) and has large yellow flowers.
ReplyDeletegreat sturdy and pretty flowers!
ReplyDeleteI love the orange color! I think I'm going to make orange one of the primary colors in my garden this year. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteseems like a popular flower for butterflies too.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, it's alright. Lately the clouds came back and rained :-D Well, it has been an on going process to get rid of mealy bugs and white aphids in my garden. I hope they won't attack the sunflowers.
ReplyDeleteRose, thanks!
Urban Green, great to hear from you.
Deborah, I agree!. Gerbera is such a cheerful flower to have in the garden or even in the house!
Ha Xuan, the leaves do look very similar to those regular sunflower plants we know.
Prospero, bigger flower? Wonderful!
Wendy, yup it's a sturdy plant. But the flower petals drops if the rain is too heavy.
Avis, come spring, I will be so looking forward to seeing your garden blossom!
Rosey, you are right. More butterflies are visiting my garden nowadays :-D
AaronVFT, I like your paper gerbera! Keep making them ok. I am sure many people would love to have one from you ;-)
GO BACK TO MY FOOD-BLOG, THERE'S AN AWARD
ReplyDeleteI HAD ALSO LEFT QUITE A LONG COMMENT HERE BEFORE... AND NOW IT'S GONE... CRAP!
ReplyDeleteANYWAY YOU DON'T NEED HOT FOOD JUST WARM CLOTHS IN THE NORTH!
Sarah,thanks for that award! Sorry for your earlier comment.
ReplyDeleteMy mom has the same flowers on her garden and its really cool like her daisy is one of my favorite flowers. :)
ReplyDeletevitton
Hi vitton, glad to know that both your mother and yourself love daisy flowers :-D Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteYeah! we really love daisy flower so much. I will looking forward to your next post. Please keep posting more power to your blog,have a great day too thank you. :))
ReplyDeletevitton