Why Squirrels Like Daisies, and How to Protect Them

Squirrels may eat daisy buds, petals, young growth, or seeds, and they may also investigate the plants’ loose soil, especially when natural food is scarce. This does not necessarily mean daisies are a squirrel’s favorite flower; a hungry or curious squirrel may sample many garden plants. The best response is to confirm the damage, then physically protect newly planted or repeatedly targeted daisies before feeding becomes a habit.

Use this quick check to decide whether squirrels are the likely problem and what to do first.

What You See	Likely Cause	Best First Move
Buds, petals, or tender shoots are missing	Squirrels or another browsing animal may be feeding	Cover the plant and look for fresh damage afterward
Potting soil is tossed out or seedlings are uprooted	Squirrel rummaging is likely	Cover the pot or seed tray with a secured barrier
Damage starts soon after planting	New transplants are especially vulnerable	Protect the plant immediately
Slime trails or irregular holes appear overnight	Slugs or another pest may be involved	Inspect for the actual pest before building a squirrel barrier
Damage keeps returning to the same bed	Wildlife has learned the garden is a food source	Use physical exclusion rather than waiting for the problem to fade

Why Squirrels Eat Daisies

Squirrels are opportunistic feeders. They are well known for eating nuts and seeds, but they also investigate buds, flowers, tender leaves, and newly disturbed soil when those things are available.

A daisy bed can attract attention for several reasons:

Flowers and buds are exposed. A bloom is easier to reach than food hidden beneath bark, husks, or hard shells.
New growth is soft. Young leaves and flower buds are usually easier to bite than older, tougher foliage.
Seed heads can be useful food. Once daisies begin forming seed, the plants may become more interesting to seed-eating wildlife.
Fresh soil invites digging. A squirrel may disturb a daisy without eating much of it. Pots and newly planted beds are especially prone to this kind of damage.
Food pressure changes behavior. When food in the wild is scarce, squirrels may turn to garden plants. Once they become used to feeding in a garden, later damage is harder to stop (University of Missouri Extension).

So, squirrels do not need to “love” daisies in the way they might seek out acorns or nuts. A daisy may simply be the most convenient edible or diggable thing available at that moment.

How to Protect Daisies From Squirrels

Physical barriers are the most dependable solution because they prevent access instead of trying to make the plant less appealing. Choose the approach that fits where your daisies are growing.

Where the Daisies Are Growing	Best Protection
In a garden bed or border	Chicken-wire barrier or individual wire cages
Newly transplanted into the ground	Protect immediately with a barrier around the planting area
In pots or seed trays	A secured cover that blocks digging and lifting
Raised from seed	A covered flat or mesh enclosure until plants are ready to transplant

Step 1: Protect the Most Vulnerable Daisies First

Start with plants that were recently bought, transplanted, divided, or moved within the garden. Newly transplanted plants, including nursery plants and plants moved from one area of a garden to another, are more likely to be eaten, while larger established plants can better tolerate some nibbling.

Check the plant and surrounding soil for fresh bite marks, missing buds, shallow holes, and disturbed mulch. If the damage appears soon after planting, add a physical barrier right away rather than waiting to see whether the squirrel returns.

For Daisies in the Ground: Install a Wire Barrier

A perimeter barrier works well for a small daisy bed, while individual wire cages can protect single plants without fencing the entire border.

Measure the area you want to protect, including enough room for the daisy clumps to grow without pressing against the wire.
Set 36-inch chicken wire around the bed and bury the bottom 6 inches in the soil. University of Missouri Extension identifies this setup as effective against small animals such as squirrels.
Backfill the trench firmly so the lower edge cannot be easily pushed aside.
Secure the wire ends together and close any gap used for access to the bed.
Check the barrier after watering, weeding, or heavy weather, then reset any loose edge before squirrels find an opening.
Leave the barrier in place while there is active feeding pressure. If you remove it after the plants are established, continue checking the blooms and soil so you can reinstall protection at the first sign of return damage.

For a single prized plant, a small wire cage can be less conspicuous than fencing an entire bed. Make sure the cage covers both the visible foliage and the soil immediately around the plant.

For Potted Daisy Seedlings: Build a Three-Flat Cover

Squirrels often rummage in containers before seedlings are large enough to withstand disturbance. A simple cover made from three flats can protect a tray of young daisies while still allowing air and light through.

Put one empty nursery flat upside down on the deck, bench, or other growing surface. This keeps the planted flat from sitting directly on the surface.
Place the flat holding your daisy pots or seedling cells on top of it.
Set a third flat upside down over the seedlings as a roof.
Before the first plant leaves appear, place terracotta pots or rocks on top of the roof flat so squirrels cannot lift it.
Once the first true leaves appear, remove the weights so the seedlings receive more sun, but keep the top flat in place as a cover.
When the seedlings are ready to move outdoors, place them in the garden under a secured wire cage, basket, or mesh barrier so the protection continues through the vulnerable transplant stage.

This three-flat method is adapted from the UC Master Gardener Program of Alameda County, which uses stacked flats to stop squirrel rummaging around seedlings.

When Daisies Need Protection Most

The highest-risk time is shortly after planting. A newly transplanted daisy has soft growth, loose soil around its roots, and less ability to recover from repeated digging or bud loss.

Give extra attention to daisies that are:

Fresh from a nursery pot
Recently divided or moved
Planted near bird feeders or spilled seed
Growing in loose, freshly amended soil
In containers on a deck, patio, railing, or porch
Blooming during a period when nearby natural food appears limited

Protecting plants early matters because squirrels can return to a dependable food source. A barrier installed after repeated feeding may still work, but it is easier to prevent a routine than to break one.

If only one or two plants are being damaged, protect those plants first rather than redesigning the whole garden. That focused approach can stop the immediate loss while you watch for damage elsewhere.

Daisy Varieties and Similar Flowers

There is no reliable rule that says squirrels will always eat one kind of daisy and ignore another. A hungry animal may sample many garden plants.

Plant age and location usually matter more than the common name on the tag.

Treat any daisy that has already been nibbled or dug around as a plant that needs protection. Waiting to see whether a different variety is less appealing can cost you the flowers you wanted to save.

Preventing Repeat Visits to Daisy Beds

After you block access to the daisies, make the surrounding area less rewarding for squirrels.

Keep fallen birdseed, spilled nuts, and pet food away from the flower bed. These foods can bring squirrels close to the daisies, where they may then investigate buds, containers, and freshly worked soil.

Do not rely only on scent, noise, or visual scare devices. Those deterrents may temporarily change an animal’s behavior, but they do not physically protect a bud or seedling when a squirrel has easy access.

It is also tempting to choose plants because they are described as toxic, bitter, or squirrel-resistant. That is not a dependable wildlife-control plan. Very aromatic plants, tough or leathery leaves, and toxic plants may discourage some animals.

Avoid adding poisonous plants solely to repel squirrels. Physical exclusion protects the daisies without creating another garden hazard.

Check That Your Protection Is Working

After installing a barrier or seedling cover, look for these signs:

No fresh buds, petals, or leaves disappear
Potting soil stays inside the container
Mulch around the daisies remains undisturbed
Wire edges and covers stay secured
New buds open without being clipped
Damage does not shift to an unprotected plant nearby

If damage continues inside a properly secured barrier, reassess the cause. The culprit may not be a squirrel, or there may be an opening at ground level, along a seam, or above the plant.

When the plant remains intact and new growth is undisturbed, keep the protection available for future vulnerable periods, especially after dividing, transplanting, or starting new seedlings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do squirrels like Shasta daisies?

Squirrels may eat Shasta daisies, particularly when the plants are newly transplanted. A hungry squirrel may sample many garden plants. The risk rises when the plants are newly transplanted, when soil is loose, or when wild food is scarce. Protect damaged plants with a physical barrier rather than assuming the variety will become resistant with age.

Do squirrels like African daisies?

Squirrels may eat African daisies, particularly when food in the wild is scarce. A hungry squirrel may sample many garden plants, including poisonous plants. A healthy, established plant may tolerate minor damage better than a newly planted one, but repeated bud loss can prevent blooming. Use a wire cage or secured cover if squirrels are already feeding or digging nearby.

Do squirrels like gerbera daisies?

Gerbera daisies can attract squirrel attention because their flowers and containers are easy to reach. Potted gerberas are especially vulnerable to soil disturbance, since squirrels may rummage in the pot even if they do not eat much foliage. Cover the soil and plant with a secured physical barrier when damage starts.

What flowers will squirrels not touch?

No flower is completely squirrel-proof. Aromatic plants, plants with tough or leathery leaves, and plants with bitter or toxic qualities may be less appealing, but a hungry squirrel may still sample them. Choose plants you genuinely want to grow, then protect the most vulnerable ones with wire or mesh.

How do I keep squirrels out of potted daisy seedlings?

Use three nursery flats: one upside down beneath the seedling tray, the planted tray in the middle, and one upside down on top as a roof. Before the first leaves appear, weigh the top flat with terracotta pots or rocks; once the first true leaves appear, remove the weights but leave the cover in place. Move seedlings into the garden under a secured wire or mesh barrier so squirrels cannot resume digging after transplanting.