While the formal plant family name is Asteraceae, its nickname is the Aster or Daisy Family. Check out the family members:
Veggies: Artichokes, chicory, endive lettuce, salsify, scorzonera and Jerusalem artichokes
Herbs: German chamomile, feverfew, stevia and tarragon
Blooms: Daisies, asters, black-eyed susans, calendula, chrysanthemums, coneflowers, cosmos, dahlias, goldenrod, marigold, safflower, sunflowers, yarrow and zinnias
Similarities: If you let some of these veggies and herbs bloom and produce seeds, you will see that their flower heads are similar to daisies. Many of these flowers in this plant family prefer to bloom in late summer and fall. Pollinators (birds, bees and butterflies) love the flowers in the Aster family. The Aster family veggies enjoy a head start in the spring.Â
Differences: While chicory, endive and lettuce are greens, artichoke is a flower bud veggie and salsify, scorzonera and Jerusalem artichoke are root veggies. Some of the flowers are perennials and some are annuals.
Hope you didn’t miss my post on the Amaranth Plant Family.
