Grow painted daisy in full sun on draining soil, where summers stay on the cool side. Pinch once when the plant is six to eight inches tall. Painted daisy is Tanacetum coccineum, also sold as pyrethrum.
Give painted daisy full sun, draining soil, and a cool summer
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Full sun; afternoon shade where summers run hot | Do not grow it in a steamy, humid south bed past its cool-summer range |
| Soil | Moist loam or sand that still drains | Do not plant into heavy clay that stays wet |
| Range | A cool-summer climate, about zones 3 to 7 | Do not expect a long life in a hot, humid zone 8 bed |
| Spread | A clump that stays put compared with feverfew seedlings | Do not treat it as common tansy, which runs by rhizomes |
Painted daisy wants sun and drainage, and it does best where summers are not a long steam bath. [1] painted daisy makes large pink, red, purple, or white daisies on wiry stems, not the tiny white clusters of feverfew. [2] Give it moist soil that still drains. Rich ground is fine here; the plant is grown for those big rays, not as a lean-soil herb. [3] Feverfew is the small white self-seeder — that keep-alive is on How to Grow Feverfew.
Does painted daisy need full sun?
Yes. Give it a full day of sun, with afternoon shade only where summers run hot.
Pinch at six to eight inches, then deadhead
One early pinch makes a bushier plant with more stems. Stop pinching once flower buds form.
- When the plant is six to eight inches tall, pinch the tips of new growth.
- Let the buds form after that. Do not keep pinching once you see flower buds.
- Deadhead spent blooms so more flowers follow. After the June–July flush, you can cut the stems back to refresh the mound.
When do I pinch painted daisy?
Pinch once when the plant is six to eight inches tall, then stop so the buds can form.
How to plant painted daisy
Set plants or sow after frost, in a hole that matches the root ball, on ground that drains.
- Wait until frost has passed. Direct-sow and cover the seed with about an eighth of an inch of fine soil, or set a nursery plant at the same depth it grew in the pot. [4]
- Keep the surface evenly moist until seedlings or new roots take hold. Water thoroughly at least once a week while they settle.
- Divide a crowded clump in spring, just as growth starts. Replant divisions at the same depth and water them in.
Not feverfew — and not the insect-powder pyrethrum
Feverfew is the small white self-seeder with bitter, parsley-like leaves. Painted daisy has large colored rays and is not that volunteer thicket. If the tag says pyrethrum, read the Latin: Tanacetum coccineum is this colored daisy; Tanacetum cinerariifolium is the silvery Dalmatian insect-powder plant we also hold, grown for dried flower heads, not this pink-and-red show. Common tansy is the yellow-button spreader — keep it out of the border.
If the plant is six to eight inches tall and still un-pinched, pinch the tips today so you get more stems, not one lanky stalk.
FAQ
Is pyrethrum the same as painted daisy?
Often, yes, on a painted-daisy tag. Pyrethrum can also mean the silvery insect-powder plant. Read the Latin name.
Does painted daisy spread like tansy?
No. Painted daisy stays in a clump. Common tansy runs by rhizomes and is the noxious plant to keep out.
Can I grow painted daisy south of zone 7?
It is a poor fit in a long, hot, humid summer. Give afternoon shade, or skip it and grow feverfew instead.
Is Robinson's Red a different plant?
No. It is a red-rayed painted daisy. Give it the same sun, drain, and pinch.
Can I grow painted daisy in a pot?
Yes, in a draining pot in full sun. Water more often than a bed, because the mix dries faster.
When do painted daisies bloom?
They bloom in early summer, about June and July. Deadhead for more flowers after that first flush.
Is painted daisy the same as a garden mum?
No. Garden mums are Chrysanthemum. Painted daisy is Tanacetum coccineum, with ferny leaves and large early-summer rays.
Does painted daisy need rich soil?
Moist, well-drained ground is enough. Heavy wet clay is the problem, not a lack of fertilizer.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/tanacetum-coccineum-subsp-coccineum/ - [2] Indiana Public Media -
https://www.ipm.org/show/focusonflowers/2019-09-09/tanacetum-feverfew - [3] Perennial Reference -
https://www.perennialreference.com/perennials/tanacetum.html - [4] Burpee -
https://www.burpee.com/blogs/ornamental-gardening/encyclopedia__painteddaisy-article
This note is part of Tanacetum Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors