Chrysanthemum paludosum seeds - Annual marguerite, snow daisy

The annual Snow Daisy, also known as Marguerite, is a small herbaceous annual with a collar of white ligulate flowers and a cheerful, bright yellow domed centre. It is a dwarf variety of Chrysanthemum vulgare. This member of the family Asteraceae is native to North America. English speakers sometimes call it 'Paludosum daisy' because in its native region, it is particularly fond of marshlands.

The flower heads of this little plant are made up of a collar of short, snow-white florets centred around a cheerful, bright yellow domed centre. Each stem bears a solitary flower. The glossy green deciduous leaves are alternate, lanceolate and deeply toothed. The extremely bushy habit gives the plant the appearance of a soft cushion. Each plant will grow to 25 cm high and 25 cm wide. It will give the best results when planted in a moist, neutral soil, although it is tolerant of slightly acidic or calcareous soils. It is also very hardy, withstanding temperatures down to -20 °C.

This plant withstands coastal conditions.

This pretty Chrysanthemum will bring simplicity and freshness to summer beds with its flowers that bloom from June to October. It will look lovely with oriental poppies, in a cottage garden or planted in many small clumps in a meadow. Its modest size makes it suited to window-boxes and containers. It looks particularly elegant in bouquets with other long-lasting cut flowers. Pinch back the stems at the end of spring and then remove the faded flowers to encourage repeat blooming all summer long and to give the plants a more compact habit.