'Fancy Pants Daisy Mix' Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum carinatum

Origin: Mediterranean

Improvement status: Cultivar

Seeds per packet: ~70

Germination tested 12/2022: 60%

Life cycle: Annual

From our friends at Wild Garden Seeds in Oregon, our source for these wonderful seeds:

"Commonly called tricolor or painted daisy, these Mediterranean natives make good cut flowers and 'meadow' flowers, naturalizing with a little help. Plants are 2-3' tall with flowers in 3-color combinations of white, burgundy, yellow, scarlet, orange, lavender and pink. Has the visual appeal of Cape Daisies like 'Zulu Prince,' where striped petals create concentric circles of color around an intricately patterned eye."

They don't mention it, but this species (which some call "Ismelia carinata") is also edible, with the shoots and young leaves commonly eaten. They can be used raw, pickled, or cooked. They do tend to wilt quickly, so harvest as needed.