| While visiting my sister in Oklahoma last year, we purchased a small (tree?) we believe was called a Daisy Tree, it was about 3ft tall and was used more for decoration than for a tree. Can you tell me anything about this and what location these are best grown in and the care it would need, both of hers died and they were doing so well all last summer. |
| You probably purchased a Marguerite that was trained to a single stem. Marguerites are members of the Daisy family and are flowering shrub-like perennials, grown mostly in the Southwestern states. It takes two or three years to train a seedling into a tree shape. (It's done by rubbing off all of the buds that appear on the stem, and then pinching the top of the stem when it's reached the correct height.) By the second year the stem will have become brown and woody, and all of the growth will directed toward the top. Marguerites like full sunshine and regular watering during the summer, and greenhouse protection in the winter months. The tops are susceptible to frost damage and the entire plant will die if left outdoors when the weather gets cold. It's not a good candidate for indoor growing because the intensity of light during the wintertime is too low in the average household. The plants are great for seasonal color in the summertime, but unless you have a greenhouse, don't expect to keep it year after year. |
