bellis

Bellis is a small genus of flowering plants in the Asteraceae family, commonly referred to as daisies. The best-known species is Bellis perennis, the common daisy or lawn daisy, a low-growing herbaceous perennial native to Europe and western Asia.

Bellis perennis forms a basal rosette of hairy, spoon-shaped leaves, with erect stems bearing single flower heads. Each head has white ray florets surrounding a central cluster of yellow disk florets. Plants typically reach a modest height and spread by creeping stolons, forming mats in suitable conditions.

Native to Europe and western Asia, Bellis perennis has become naturalized in temperate regions around the world. It commonly grows in lawns, meadows, pastures, and roadside verges, preferring full sun and moist, well-drained soils. The flowers attract pollinating insects and the plant can reproduce by seeds as well as vegetative spread via stolons, enabling rapid colonization of open ground.

Cultivation and uses: Bellis perennis is widely grown as an ornamental ground cover in gardens and lawns and is valued for early-spring blooms. It tolerates regular mowing but persists best in lightly disturbed soils. Leaves have been used in traditional remedies and, in some cultures, as a salad ingredient; caution is advised for those with allergies.

Etymology and notes: The genus name Bellis derives from Latin bellus, meaning pretty or handsome. The common name “daisy” stems from Old English day’s eye, a reference to the flower opening with the sun.