Daisy Freshness

Bellis perennis is a common European species of Daisy, of the aster family, often considered the archetypal species of that name. Many related plants... more

by Kristin Elmquist

Title

Daisy Freshness

Artist

Kristin Elmquist

Medium

Photograph

Description

Bellis perennis is a common European species of Daisy, of the aster family, often considered the archetypal species of that name. Many related plants also share the name "daisy", so to distinguish this species from other daisies it is sometimes qualified as common daisy, lawn daisy or English daisy. Historically, it has also been commonly known as bruisewort and occasionally woundwort. Bellis perennis is native to western, central and northern Europe. The species is widely naturalised in North America, and also introduced to temperate and oceanic/maritime climate zones of South America. Bellis is Latin for "pretty" and perennis is Latin for "everlasting".

The name "daisy" is occasionally considered a corruption of "day's eye", because the whole head closes at night and opens in the morning. Chaucer called it "eye of the day". In Medieval times, bellis perennis or the English Daisy was commonly known as "Mary's Rose".

The English Daisy is also considered to be a flower of children and innocence.

Daisy is used as a girl's name and as a nickname for girls named Margaret, after the French name for the oxeye daisy, marguerite.

Uploaded

June 22nd, 2012