Leucanthemum
×superbum
Shasta daisy
compoSitae
White daisy flowers; narrow, toothed leaves
2–4 ft. high; 2–3 ft. wide
Full sun
Blooms June–July
Zones 5–9
pruning Deadheading can prolong
bloom to amazing lengths, particularly
on first-year plants, which often will
flower from June until frost. Deadhead
to lateral flower buds, and after all
flowering from lateral buds is finished
and new basal growth is developing,
cut plants down to basal growth.
Sporadic rebloom may occur, though
the flowers are usually smaller in size
and number. The deep green basal
growth looks great in the autumn
garden and holds up well through the
winter. Shasta daisies are often
short-lived. According to some
authorities, one reason for the short
life span may be that they flower
themselves to exhaustion. By cutting
the plants down (as described above)
in early September or before, vegeta-
tive growth is stimulated, and plants
can form buds for next year’s shoots,
possibly extending their lives.
Taller forms can be pinched or cut back
to produce shorter, more compact
plants that don’t require staking and
flower slightly later. This pruning can
also be used to layer a planting (or an
individual plant), effectively hiding
the bare stems of taller unpruned
daisies.
other maintenance Shasta
daisies need rich, moist but
well-draining soil and frequent
division (every 2–3 years) to maintain
vigor. Division may be done with the
double-fork method. Good winter
drainage is essential for survival.
Avoid prolonged drought. These heavy
feeders benefit from a light spring
fertilizer and possibly a liquid feed
again in early summer. Good air
circulation is helpful. Taller forms
require staking—don’t let them fool
you. Sometimes they look like they’re
doing well, nice and upright, and then
a good summer storm comes along
and knocks them over on their sides;
staking at this point is too late. I know,
I’ve been fooled. Plants are often
short-lived and aren’t reliably hardy in
zone 5. Don’t plant Shasta daisies in
the autumn.
related plantS Leucanthemum
×superbum ‘Banana Cream’ has pale
yellow blooms on 18-in. stems. The
flowers fade to white as they age.
‘Becky’ has an outstanding thick
substance to its leaves and stems. It is
a 3-ft.-tall, self-supporting form. It
flowers later, normally from July to
October with deadheading. Good heat
tolerance makes this a good candidate
for the South. ‘Crazy Daisy’ is a seed
strain that has double flowers on 30-in.
stems and blooms for a long time.
‘Snowcap’, a charming dwarf form (12
in.), is a flowering machine. Cutting it
down in September and annual
division may help to keep it strong. An
even better ‘Snowcap’ may be the new
‘Woops-a-Daisy’, which gives a dense
mound covered in 3- to 4-in. flowers
into midsummer or longer. ‘T. E. Killen’
has thick, sturdy stems at 24–30 in.
and stands up well.Leucanthemum ×superbum
‘Becky’