Find out about 40 different flowers that look like daisies. Each one is beautiful in its own way and needs a different kind of care.
From hardy perennial plants to easy-to-grow annuals, there is an array of flowers that almost look like daisies. There are a lot of beautiful plants with flowers that look like daisies that you can find in garden beds, containers, and wildflower meadows.
Daisies are one of the most recognizable and beloved flowers. Their classic form – a bright central disk surrounded by radiating white petals – is iconic. But many plants mimic the daisy’s appearance while actually being completely different species. They may resemble daisies but have subtle differences that set them apart.
In this article, we’ll explore over 40 flowers that resemble daisies to the untrained eye. Some are close daisy relatives from the same botanical family, while others have evolved the daisy form through natural selection. We’ll go over tips to identify their unique features and proper growing conditions. Read on to discover flowers that look like daisies but aren’t!
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
One of the closest daisy lookalikes is the oxeye daisy. Also called dog daisy or moon daisy, it sports the classic white petals and yellow center. However, oxeye daisies have a single large flower per stem instead of the clustered blooms of true daisies. The foliage is also distinct – a basal rosette with elongated, toothed leaves. Oxeye daisies thrive in full sun and average soil.
Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum)
Shasta daisies have larger blooms on long, strong stems. The flowers can reach 5 inches across, with bright white petals and bold yellow disks. Shasta daisy leaves form a low mat around the base. These rugged perennials bloom throughout summer and make great cut flowers. Give them full sun and well-drained soil. Prune spent blooms to encourage reblooming.
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia sp.)
With dark brown, purple-black centers and bright yellow petals, black-eyed Susans bear a strong resemblance to daisies. However, they belong to an entirely different genus. Their flower heads have a distinct cone shape. Black-eyed Susans thrive in full sun to part shade and average to dry soil. These native wildflowers are a boon for pollinators!
Tickseed (Coreopsis sp.)
Coreopsis, also called tickseed, produces cheerful daisies in shades of yellow and gold. However, its lacy, threadlike leaves set it apart from true daisies. Popular varieties include C. grandiflora (large-flowered tickseed) and C. lanceolata (lance-leaved coreopsis). Give these tough perennials full sun and well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers.
Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera)
Mexican hat flowers resemble small sunflowers, with drooping petals around a tall cone center. But their daisy-like yellow rays earned them a spot on this list. Mexican hats thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Let them sway gracefully in prairie-style plantings or wildflower meadows. Their mature seed heads attract birds.
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
Cornflowers produce cobalt blue flowers with tinged petal bases, surrounding a yellow disk – quite similar to a daisy! However, cornflowers have slender, grass-like leaves and tall, wiry stems. These hardy annuals self-sow readily. Cornflowers require full sun and average soil with good drainage. Use them to add vivid color to any garden bed or container.
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum sp.)
With their bright flowers and yellow button centers, it’s easy to mistake mums for daisies. But most species have deeply lobed, toothed foliage unlike the simple daisy leaf. Perennial garden mums thrive in full sun and humus-rich, evenly moist soil. Give them winter mulch in cold climates. Chrysanthemums make long-lasting cut flowers.
African Daisy (Osteospermum sp.)
Native to South Africa, African daisies come in a huge variety of colors like white, pink, purple and yellow. Their flowers close at night and in cloudy weather. Though they resemble daisies, African daisies belong to a different genus. They have succulent, thicker foliage and spreading growth habits. Provide these heat and drought tolerant plants with full sun and sandy, well-drained soil.
Gerbera Daisy (Gerbera jamesonii)
Gerbera daisies produce vibrant blooms in pink, red, orange, yellow and white. Their large, multi-layered flowers have slightly ragged petals surrounding a prominent central disk. Gerbera foliage forms a low rosette of large, hairy leaves – very unlike the daisy. Grow gerberas in containers or garden beds with full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil.
Gaillardia (Gaillardia sp.)
Also called blanket flowers, Gaillardia produces single flowers with fringed, tubular ray florets. Though they resemble daisies in their yellow centers and ray-like petals, Gaillardia have a distinct conical shape. Drought tolerant once established, these short-lived perennials prefer full sun and sandy soil with excellent drainage. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage reblooming.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Also called pot marigold, calendula flowers have vibrant golden-orange petals and green disk centers. Their flowers close at night and reopen in the morning sunlight. Bushy calendulas have oblong, aromatic foliage – unlike the daisy’s spoon-shaped leaves. Give them full sun to light shade and evenly moist, well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms and use the edible flowers fresh in salads!
Coreopsis (Coreopsis sp.)
Coreopsis offers many plants with daisy-like blooms but lacy, threadlike foliage. Popular species include C. lanceolata (lance-leaved coreopsis) and C. verticillata (whorled coreopsis). Coreopsis thrives in full sun and slightly dry conditions. Give it average to sandy, well-drained soil. Shear off spent flowers to encourage reblooming. Use coreopsis in borders, beds, containers and prairie gardens.
Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)
Though they resemble daisies, zinnias have stiffer, thicker foliage and larger, fuller blooms. These heat and drought tolerant annuals come in almost every color except blue. Plant zinnias in full sun and well-drained soil after all danger of frost. Space them at 8-12 inches apart and water during dry spells. Deadhead spent blooms for continuous color from early summer until frost.
With so many options, you can find a “daisy” lookalike to suit any garden need! Just be sure to provide each flower with its preferred growing conditions. Pay attention to the foliage and other subtle distinguishing features of each species. Soon you’ll be a pro at identifying flowers that resemble daisies – but have their own unique flair.
Other Daisy Impersonators Worth Trying
Here are a few more delightful blooms that can pass for daisies at first glance:
- Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) with yellow petals and dark centers
- Asters (Aster sp.) in purple, pink and white varieties
- Chrysanthemums with colorful daisy-form blooms
- Rudbeckia with dark centers and yellow, bronze or gold petals
- Echinacea (coneflowers) with drooping petals in pinks and purples
- Tanacetum (painted daisies) with fringed, colorful blooms on tall stems
- Argyranthemum (Marguerite daisies) with pink, white or yellow flowers
- Dahlia flowers with yellow centers and luminous petals
The world of flowers that resemble daisies is full of delightful options beyond the classic Bellis perennis. Branch out beyond true daisies to discover new gems for your garden. Just be sure to provide each species with proper growing conditions, and enjoy their unique beauty as they bloom.
3 Poached Egg Flower (Limnanthes douglasii)
The Limnanthes douglasii plant, which is also known as the Poached Egg Plant, has beautiful bright white and yellow cup-shaped flowers that look like poached eggs. This plant is great as a ground cover, especially along paths. It’s also good for vegetable gardens because it attracts many pollinators and insects that eat them. Get Limnanthes douglasii plants to grow their best by planting them in well-drained soil that likes it damp and in full sun.
Arctotis (African Daisy)
Arctotis, which is also called the “African Daisy,” is a hardy flowering plant that comes from South Africa. Its petals look like daisies and have dark centers that make them stand out. It usually blooms from late spring to fall and shuts its petals at night, making gardens look beautiful. This drought-tolerant plant does best in full sun and soil that drains well. It loves warm, sunny weather and doesn’t need much care.
30 Different Types of Daisy’s
FAQ
What flower looks like a daisy but isn’t?
What are the yellow flowers that look like tiny daisies?
What are the weeds that look like little daisies?
What are the purple flowers that look like daisy?
What flower resembles a daisy?
Cooper’s Ice Plant (Delosperma cooperi) Another flower that resembles daisy is Delosperma cooperi, commonly known as Cooper’s Hardy Ice Plant. It is adorned with vibrant magenta-pink flowers throughout the summer, creating a visually stunning ground cover. This succulent plant thrives, forming a low mat of foliage that bursts into bloom.
Do asters look like daisies?
Asters are gorgeous flowers that look like daisies, and it’s no wonder why — both flowers belong to the Asteraceae family, which also includes sunflowers and marigolds. Like the other flowers mentioned here, asters have open faces. But their petals are thinner and more delicate.
Do Daisies look like a daisy?
As we mentioned earlier, daisies come from the aster family, or the Asteraceae family. This means that, by right, an aster (Aster Spp.) doesn’t only look like a daisy, but it is a daisy. However, it is not an English daisy. It is quite a bit larger, and comes in brighter, more vivid colors.
What family do Daisies belong to?
Daisy flowers belong to the botanical family Asteraceae, one of the largest plant families, encompassing over 32,000 plant species within the daisy family, including flowers like chamomiles , asters , daisies , zinnias or sunflowers.
