Best Shasta Daisies: 10 Varieties to Bring Joy to a Garden

The evolution of Shasta daisies, Leucanthemumbegan with the American pioneer of plant breeding, Luther Burbank. He is said to have introduced around 800 different new plant varieties, including the first thornless blackberry. He worked for many years to develop these large-flowered, golden-eyed white daisies and named them Shasta daisies after the snow-capped peak of Mount Shasta in northern California.

Burbank introduced its first Shasta daisy in 1901, and since then more varieties have been developed on both sides of the Atlantic and offered to America’s finest gardeners.

Now, not only are there single-flowering varieties of these hardy, zone 3-5 hardy perennials with flowers like giant lawn daisies, but double forms, shaggy and ruffled forms, anemone-centered varieties and some with creamy or even bright yellow petals are now available. Here we present 10 of the very best Shasta daisies.

(Image credit: Alamy)

10 of the Best Shasta Daisies for Your Garden

These are robust plants that have unusually dark leaves that show off the flowers beautifully. The upright stems branch out toward the tips, forming a row of opening daisies that look straight up. If cut back when the last flowers fade, new flowering shoots will often emerge from the base. Their ultimate spread depends on how often the plants are divided and replanted.

Situation: Full sun or partial shade in any good soil that does not dry out in summer and is not wet in winter. The shortest varieties work well in large containers.

Care: Prune the bush regularly to encourage a succession of flowers and cut back heavily when the first blooms have faded.

Do more: Most varieties can be harvested, divided, and the healthiest pieces replanted in the spring. Some can be grown from seed and may bloom the first year.

Deer resistant? Occasionally heavily damaged, generally resilient.

Resilience: Hardiness varies between USDA Zone 3 and Zone 5.

A good selection of Shasta daisies are available at Nature Hills.

There is also a wide one A variety of Shasta daisies are also available at Walmart.

Alaska

Large, up to 3-inch-tall white daisies bloom crisscross on medium-tall plants from early summer to early fall and are beautifully highlighted by narrow, dark green leaves and stems.

The stems are relatively unbranched, making this variety particularly suitable for cutting, but a single plant can bloom for three months, especially if deadheaded immediately. This is also one of the hardiest varieties, making it ideal for zones 3 and 4. Available as seeds and as plants.

Height: 2-3 feet.

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, pruning, attracting pollinators.

Do more: Harvest, divide and replant in spring, start sowing in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 3

Leucanthemum (Shasta daisy) “Alaska” is available from Ferry Morse.

Amazing daisy series

A series of half a dozen strains, all developed in Michigan, that combine bright floral vigor with a long flowering period.

Pay particular attention to “Banana Cream” (lemon yellow buds open to creamy white flowers); “Daisy May” (classic daisy flowers, well branched, allowing for an unusually long flowering period); “Marshmallow” (large flowers start semi-double, then develop into a shaggy double appearance) and “Spun Silk” (very large flowers, each petal fringed at the tip). Only available as plants.

Height: 20-24 inches

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cut.

Do more: Dig up, divide and replant in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 5

Belgian lace

The double flowers develop into a low mound of branching stems, open throughout the summer and have creamy petals delicately fringed at the tips.

Its arching habit allows it to be planted at the front of beds and borders where other varieties would expose their stems. I have also seen it growing as a specimen in a large container. Only available as plants.

Height: 24-26 inches

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, one of the few Shasta daisy varieties that works well as a ground cover.

Do more: Dig up, divide and replant in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 5

Betsy

Probably the variety with the largest flowers. Some sources state that they are up to 7 inches in diameter, but a more realistic estimate is 5 inches in diameter. Although flowers of this size have a great impact, they are heavy, especially when it rains heavily. Therefore, well-thought-out support with sticks and twine or steel support frames usually makes sense.

With just a few cuts, trimming the trunk of the tree instantly improves the appearance of the plant. Available as seeds and as plants.

Height: 18-24 inches

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, pruning, attracting pollinators.

Do more: Harvest, divide and replant in spring, start sowing in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 4

Leucanthemum (Shasta daisy) ‘Betsy’ is available from Burpee.

Crazy Daisy

“Crazy Daisy” gets its name from the semi-double flowers, which consist of a multitude of slender petals, each fringed at the tips and sometimes twisted to create a very special, slightly explosive appearance.

The unique shape of the flowers makes “Crazy Daisy” a fascinating cut flower. Offered as a seed and as a plant.

Height: 22-26 inches

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, pruning.

Do more: Harvest, divide and replant in spring, start sowing in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 4

Leucanthemum (Shasta Daisy) “Crazy Daisy” is available from Eden Brothers.

goldfinch

A top contender for the Shasta daisy with the best yellow coloring. The semi-double flowers open in lemon yellow and then fade gently to a light creamy white, creating an attractive color harmony.

The bold gold eye completes the look, as do the slightly ruffled tips on the petals. Looks very pretty when cut and arranged with bronze leaves and other yellow and cream flowers. Only available as plants.

Height: 18-24 inches

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, pruning.

Do more: Dig up, divide and replant in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 5

Luna

The flowers of this very distinctive variety have a rare pompom format and although they are slightly smaller than the flowers of many varieties, they retain their yellow color for up to two weeks.

The flowers then mature to a two-tone yellow before eventually fading to white, with gold tips on each petal and a gold eye. The plants grow mounded rather than upright, so that the flowers almost obscure the leaves. Only available as plants.

Height: 18-22 inches

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, pollinators, pruning.

Do more: Dig up, divide and replant in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 5

Real series

This series of 15 British bred varieties with flowers ranging from rich yellow to the brightest white comes in a wide range of different flower shapes.

Look for ‘Real Glory’ (semi-double center anemone, with ruffled, fringed white petals, 36 inches); ‘Real Goldcup (exceptionally long-lasting yellow flowers. 36 inches); ‘Real Neat’ (very distinctive, with each white petal rolled into a trumpet. 16 inches) and ‘Real Winner’ (nicely ruffled, pure white petals. 24 inches), but all are good. Only available as plants.

Height: 16-36 inches (depending on variety).

Good for: Perennial and mixed beds, cottage gardens and cuttings. The shorter varieties are well suited for containers, and the single-flowered varieties also attract many pollinators.

Do more: Dig up, divide and replant in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 5

Leucanthemum (Shasta daisy) “Breal Glory” is available from Nature Hills.

Snow woman

Developed specifically for growing from seed, ‘Snow Lady’ develops quickly after sowing in early spring and often opens its golden-eyed white flowers in the first year.

The flowers stand out brightly against the neat, dark foliage. In the plants’ second season, flowers open on taller, mounding plants that retain their dome shape, but on larger plants. Available as seeds and as plants.

Height: 9-12 inches (first year), 15-18 inches (subsequent years).

Good for: The front of perennial and mixed borders, rock gardens, containers, borders and good for pollinators.

Do more: Start seeds or harvest the plant, divide it and replant it in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 4

Victorian mystery

Leucanthemum x Superbum 'Victorian Secret'

Neatly growing plants are covered with the familiar golden-eyed white summer flowers. But in Victorian Secret, the petals of each flower are not all held at the same angle, giving each flower a very pretty, informal, rather disheveled look. The plants are shorter than many others and are therefore well suited to containers. Only available as plants.

Height: 15-18 inches

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, containers and good for pollinators.

Do more: Dig up, divide and replant in spring.

Resilience: USDA Zone 4

If other hardy perennials are already growing in your beds and borders, fall is the perfect time to dig them up and divide them to create new plants to fill gaps in other plants in your garden. Discover more perennials to share in September with our handy seasonal guide.

10 of the Best Shasta Daisies for Your Garden

Recent Posts