Shasta Daisy
Leucanthemum × superbum
Family Asteraceae
Shasta daisies are the white classic of every farmhouse bouquet — crisp gold-centered blooms on two-to-three-foot stems that cut clean, last in the vase, and read as summer from across a field. Butterflies and bees treat the open faces as a landing pad.
A cottage-border staple hardy in zones 4 through 9, it earns its keep in sun with moderate thirst — and the long-lived 'Becky' famously outlasts the fancy cultivars two to one. Best admired in the vase, not sampled by pets. Start a clump; bouquets follow.
Full Sun
Moderate water
Moderate growth
Attracts butterflies
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing shasta daisy? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries shasta daisy — Leucanthemum superbum, print Nº 428, “Shasta Daisy.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what shasta daisy actually needs.
Hardy inZones 4-9Shasta Daisy · Common problems
Common shasta daisy problems
Shasta Daisy · Growing & propagation
Growing shasta daisy
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Moderate
Soil- Well-drained, average · pH 6.0 - 7.0
Fertilizer- Light spring feed
Pruning- Spring
Deadhead to side buds; divide every 3 years (they die out from the center and are short-lived unless divided).
Spacing- 18-24 in
How to plant & propagate shasta daisy
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Shasta Daisy · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Shasta Daisy · Yearly calendar
The shasta daisy year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomPruneBloomJune to August
PruneMarch to May
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Shasta Daisy · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Leucanthemum × superbum
Shasta Daisy in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
- Attracts
- Butterflies, Bees
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What shasta daisy is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesMildly toxic to pets
Use- Cut flowers
- Use
- Cottage borders
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Shasta Daisy · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a shasta daisy variety
'Becky' (tall, tough, the keeper); 'Snowcap' (dwarf); 'Crazy Daisy' (fringed)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
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Shasta Daisy
Leucanthemum × superbum
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Leucanthemum × superbum
- Plant family
- Asteraceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- LESU49
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Shasta Daisy questions, answered straight.
Is shasta daisy safe for kids and pets?
With care. Mildly toxic to pets Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate shasta daisy?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where shasta daisy sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily