The image, above, shows the full common daisy (Bellisperennis) in a garden setting, left. Plants are shown with
leaves and in full flower..
| Common Name: Common Daisy |
| Scientific Name: Bellis perennis |
| Other Names: Daisy, Lawn Daisy, Lawndaisy, English Daisy, Bruisewort, Woundwort |
| Family: Asteraceae |
| Range: Most of Europe, including Britain, to W. Asia. |
Physical Characteristics
Bellis perennis is a hardy Evergreen perennial, growing to 20cm (8 in) by 20cm (8 in) in size. It is hardy to UK zone 4 and can withstand sustained frost. The plant is in leaf and flower year round and the seeds ripen from May to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (both male and female), and are pollinated by bees, flies and beetles. The plant is self-fertile.
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| Edible Parts: Flowers, Flower Buds, Leaves |
 Edibility Rating: 2 
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 Known Hazards: None Known.
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Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Common Daisy along with all the Common Daisy containing recipes presented on this site, with 2 recipes in total.
This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.
These recipes, all contain Common Daisy as a major wild food ingredient.
Common Daisy, Bellis perennis (also known as: Daisy, Lawn Daisy, Lawndaisy, English Daisy, Bruisewort, Woundwort). The plant is native to western, central and northern Europe, including remote islands such as the Faroe Islands, but has become widely naturalised in most temperate regions, including the Americas and Australasia. It prefers field-like habitats.
Bellis perennis is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 20 centimetres (8 inches) in height.[4] It has short creeping rhizomes and rosettes of small rounded or spoon-shaped leaves that are from 2 to 5 cm (3⁄4–2 in) long and grow flat to the ground. The species habitually colonises lawns, and is difficult to eradicate by mowing, hence the term 'lawn daisy'. It blooms from March to October and exhibits the phenomenon of heliotropism, in which the flowers follow the position of the sun in the sky.
The flowerheads are composite, about 2 to 3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) in diameter, in the form of a pseudanthium, consisting of many sessile flowers with white ray florets (often tipped red) and yellow disc florets. Each inflorescence is borne on a single leafless stem 2 to 10 cm (3⁄4–4 in), rarely 15 cm (6 in) tall. The capitulum, or disc of florets, is surrounded by two rows of green bracts known as "phyllaries".[5] The achenes are without pappus.
It is the archetypal species of the name 'daisy' and a member of the Asteraceae family. Bellis may come from bellus, Latin for "pretty", and perennis is Latin for "everlasting". The name "daisy", possibly originating with this plant,[4] is considered a corruption of "day's eye",[7] because the whole head closes at night and opens in the morning. Historically, the plant has also been widely known as bruisewort, and occasionally woundwort (although this name is now more closely associated with the genus Stachys) as the plant was a traditional wound herb.
The daisy (also known as common daisy, lawn daisy or English daisy), Bellis perennis like its larger cousin the ox-eye daisy is edible. Indeed, the young leaves, flower buds and mature flower petals are all edible. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked, though the leaves become increasingly astringent with age. Flower buds and petals can be eaten raw in sandwiches, soups and salads. It is also used as a tea and as a vitamin supplement. Numerous single- and double-flowered varieties are in cultivation, producing flat or spherical blooms in a range of sizes (1 to 6 cm or 3⁄8 to 2+3⁄8 in) and colours (red, pink and white). They are generally grown from seed as biennial bedding plants. They can also be purchased as plugs in Spring. These are just as edible as their wild antecedents. I really like the pickled flower buds of both oxeye daisy and common daisy. These make a great caper substitute in any recipe.
Note that some people can have an allergic reaction to members of the daisy family. Eat sparingly the first time, just in case.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants
This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.
These recipes, all contain Common Daisy as a major wild food ingredient.
Common Daisy, Bellis perennis (also known as: Daisy, Lawn Daisy, Lawndaisy, English Daisy, Bruisewort, Woundwort). The plant is native to western, central and northern Europe, including remote islands such as the Faroe Islands, but has become widely naturalised in most temperate regions, including the Americas and Australasia. It prefers field-like habitats.
Bellis perennis is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 20 centimetres (8 inches) in height.[4] It has short creeping rhizomes and rosettes of small rounded or spoon-shaped leaves that are from 2 to 5 cm (3⁄4–2 in) long and grow flat to the ground. The species habitually colonises lawns, and is difficult to eradicate by mowing, hence the term 'lawn daisy'. It blooms from March to October and exhibits the phenomenon of heliotropism, in which the flowers follow the position of the sun in the sky.
The flowerheads are composite, about 2 to 3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) in diameter, in the form of a pseudanthium, consisting of many sessile flowers with white ray florets (often tipped red) and yellow disc florets. Each inflorescence is borne on a single leafless stem 2 to 10 cm (3⁄4–4 in), rarely 15 cm (6 in) tall. The capitulum, or disc of florets, is surrounded by two rows of green bracts known as "phyllaries".[5] The achenes are without pappus.
It is the archetypal species of the name 'daisy' and a member of the Asteraceae family. Bellis may come from bellus, Latin for "pretty", and perennis is Latin for "everlasting". The name "daisy", possibly originating with this plant,[4] is considered a corruption of "day's eye",[7] because the whole head closes at night and opens in the morning. Historically, the plant has also been widely known as bruisewort, and occasionally woundwort (although this name is now more closely associated with the genus Stachys) as the plant was a traditional wound herb.
The daisy (also known as common daisy, lawn daisy or English daisy), Bellis perennis like its larger cousin the ox-eye daisy is edible. Indeed, the young leaves, flower buds and mature flower petals are all edible. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked, though the leaves become increasingly astringent with age. Flower buds and petals can be eaten raw in sandwiches, soups and salads. It is also used as a tea and as a vitamin supplement. Numerous single- and double-flowered varieties are in cultivation, producing flat or spherical blooms in a range of sizes (1 to 6 cm or 3⁄8 to 2+3⁄8 in) and colours (red, pink and white). They are generally grown from seed as biennial bedding plants. They can also be purchased as plugs in Spring. These are just as edible as their wild antecedents. I really like the pickled flower buds of both oxeye daisy and common daisy. These make a great caper substitute in any recipe.
Note that some people can have an allergic reaction to members of the daisy family. Eat sparingly the first time, just in case.
References:
[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants
The alphabetical list of all Common Daisy recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 2 recipes in total:
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| Common Daisy Capers Origin: Britain | Strawberry and Daisy Sponge Cake Origin: Britain |
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