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Plant library  ·  Perennial Flowers

Shasta Daisy

Leucanthemum x superbum

Shasta daisy is a 3-foot perennial with classic white flowers on sturdy stems, bringing a clear, bright presence to cottage-style borders and cut-flower beds. Its early- to late-summer bloom period makes it useful where a sunny planting needs a sustained midsummer feature. Place it where its upright flowering stems can rise above lower plants without blocking a path or a view into the bed.

Sunlight Full Sun
Water Moderate
USDA zones 5–9
Planning spacing 1.5 ft
Typical mature size 3 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Typical bloom Early summer - late summer

Shasta Daisy spacing and mature footprint

Space Shasta Daisy 18 inches apart, measured center to center (45 cm).

The mature spread is about 2 ft (60 cm), so plants set at that distance grow together into a solid mass.

Treat 18 inches as a planning baseline — cultivar and local growing conditions shift the final footprint.

Compare with the full perennial spacing chart

Three plants set 1.5 ft apart, center to center; shaded circles show the 2 ft mature spread.

Placement and use

Use Shasta daisy in the middle or back of a sunny border, depending on the height of neighboring plants. A drift near a path works well when the front edge remains low enough to keep circulation open and leave room to reach the stems for cutting or deadheading. It also suits dedicated cutting beds, containers, and informal perennial plantings. Provide a sheltered position if the site is exposed, since flowering stems may need support.[1][2]

Spacing and mature footprint

Set plants 18 inches apart, center to center, for a close, repeating group. Each plant can reach about 2 feet wide at maturity, so allow the planting to knit into a broad clump rather than treating the spacing distance as its final edge-to-edge spread. Keep the outer row back from paths and bed boundaries so the mature foliage and flowering stems do not crowd circulation.

Sun, water, and soil

Reserve a full-sun position and plan for moderate watering, especially while plants are becoming established. Give the roots soil that drains well rather than a low pocket that stays wet; permanently wet ground can weaken performance. In heavier or slow-draining ground, a raised or gently mounded bed creates a more workable place for the clump.[1][3]

Seasonal notes

The flowering display runs from early summer into late summer, so this plant occupies a visible role through the main warm-season border. Regular deadheading can keep the planting tidier during bloom, and stems can be cut to the ground in winter. Leave enough access from a path or open bed edge to handle that maintenance without stepping among neighboring perennials.[2]

Planning caveats

Plan the clump as a perennial feature rather than a fixed, no-maintenance dot in the border. Dividing established plants in early spring or late summer can refresh the planting and provide pieces for filling gaps elsewhere. Give a grouped planting enough surrounding room to lift, separate, and replant sections without disturbing the roots of tightly packed neighbors.[2][4]

Growing facts

Botanical name
Leucanthemum x superbum
Type
Perennial
Category
Perennial Flowers
Lifecycle
perennial
USDA hardiness zones
5–9
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Planning spacing
1.5 ft
Typical mature size
3 ft tall, 2 ft wide
Typical bloom season
Early summer - late summer
Plan a garden with shasta daisy

References

  1. Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta Daisy) — North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
  2. Leucanthemum × superbum | Shasta daisy — Royal Horticultural Society
  3. October Master Gardener Column — University of Illinois Extension
  4. Perennial Leucanthemum — Royal Horticultural Society