Cow Pen Daisy is such a cool name for a wildflower. I honestly had no idea what it was until an old gardener called it by name.
I am a naturalist, so anything that flowers, I allow the privilege to grow….as long as it doesn’t take the ‘front seat’ to my bulbs!! Cow Pen Daisy is one of the few drought hardy wildflowers that overcomes adversity like a flowering champ….laughing at the obstacles set before her. In the Fall, she becomes the primary pollinator for the Monarch Butterfly, at least, at the studio.
All Summer, Cow Pen Daisy just grew large…..and took up space. Actually, kind of annoying. It can grow 3-4 feet, and it reseeds EVERYWHERE. I have 4 lots at the studio….with about 4 different distinct soils. Cow Pen Daisy grows where nothing else will. It’s truly a Monarch savior……flowering profusely during the great Monarch Migration, where most other flowers are tired after a long hot summer. I probably have 300 plus butterflies at any given moment on the back part of the lot. Truly amazing.
After the first frost, I will pull it all up and just lay it on the ground. The seeds will naturally decide where they choose to grow. During Winter, I have Paperwhite Bulbs that bloom where there once was a Monarch Invasion.
Wildflowers, such as the Cow Pen Daisy, are so crucial to the Monarch Butterfly. If you have an area you can designate to a natural habitat, I highly suggest it. It’s very rewarding to watch nature rejuvenate itself. I have found that nature always has a better way than my garden plans anyhow.
Happy Gardening, my friends.