Butterfly Marguerite Daisy
Argyranthemum frutescens 'Butterfly'
flowerThe marguerite daisy is a shrubby, free-flowering daisy from the Canary Islands, and the Butterfly form is a cheerful soft-yellow single type that blooms almost nonstop over finely cut, blue-green foliage. It naturally forms a rounded mound 1 to 3 ft tall and wide, covered in classic daisies that butterflies and bees adore. Hardy only in the mildest zones, it is grown across the country as a long-blooming annual for containers, borders, and even trained as a flowering standard (lollipop) topiary. Easy, generous, and tidy, it is one of the most rewarding daisies for a sunny pot.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 4 days
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Bloom
~60 days
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Difficulty
easy
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Lifecycle
tender perennial
Perennial in warm zones; grown as an annual where winters freeze
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Spacing
12-18 in. apart
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Planting Depth
Set root ball level with the soil surface
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Soil pH
6.0-7.0
Growing Details
Soil Type
Average, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3 – 11
When to Fertilize
Every few weeks during the growing season
Fertilizer
Balanced bloom fertilizer
🌱 Growing Guide
Grow the marguerite in full sun (at least six hours, with some afternoon shade in the hottest climates) in average, moderately rich, well-drained soil. It is a tender perennial hardy in about zones 10 to 11, so nearly everyone grows it as an annual or overwinters it under cover. It blooms from spring to fall and flowers most freely in mild temperatures, sometimes pausing in extreme heat. Keep it evenly watered but well drained, and feed lightly through the season for pots. Pinch young plants to build a bushy mound and deadhead or shear lightly to keep the flush of bloom going. It is not known to be toxic to people or pets.
🌼 Have a different variety?Cultivars of the same species usually share the same basic care — they differ mainly in flower color, height, and bloom form, not in how you grow them. So this guide still applies even if your exact variety isn't the one shown.
Planting Calendar
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Start seeds indoors
Feb 18
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Transplant outdoors
Apr 22
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Projected first bloom
Jun 21
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Salvia — Contrasting flower spikes and shared sun-and-drainage needs, both feeding pollinators all season
- Petunia — A trailing partner that drapes the container edge below the marguerite mound
- Sweet Alyssum — A low, fragrant filler that attracts hoverflies and other beneficial insects
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Rinse off colonies on new shoots and buds and encourage ladybugs; treat with insecticidal soap if heavy
Remove leaves with pale winding trails and clear debris; usually only cosmetic
Give airflow and good drainage, water at the base, and treat whitefly with insecticidal soap or neem
🌸 Blooms & cutting
Marguerites make pretty, if short-lived, cut daisies - snip just-opened blooms in the cool morning. The real payoff is constant garden color: deadhead or lightly shear spent flowers and the plant rebounds with fresh waves of bloom. Pinch the growing tips of young plants a couple of times to build a dense, well-branched mound that flowers all over.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
An ornamental, butterfly-friendly flower grown for its nonstop daisies. The open blooms are an excellent nectar source for butterflies and bees through the season.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.