Illustration
Shasta Daisy
Leucanthemum
Shasta Daisy blooms from June through August.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Shasta Daisy
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 5–9. Expect it to reach about 2.5 ft tall and 1.5 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Shasta Daisy
Plant Shasta Daisy in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 7, the middle of its hardy zones 5 to 9, spring means March to May and fall means September or October. Once settled, it blooms from June to August.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 7, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 7 in March. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Shasta Daisy get?
2.5 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult1.5 ftwideSee Shasta Daisy in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Shasta Daisy
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Shasta Daisy about 1.5 ft apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Shasta Daisy to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Shasta Daisy's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 9 published sources on July 30, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- NC State ExtensionLeucanthemum x superbumheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- Walters GardensLeucanthemum superbum 'Becky'height, spread, hardiness zones, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenLeucanthemum x superbumheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenLeucanthemum maximum 'Leumayel' BROADWAY LIGHTSheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenLeucanthemum vulgare 'Maikonigin' MAY QUEENheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionLeucanthemum vulgareheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- RHSLeucanthemum x superbumheight, spread, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- University of Illinois ExtensionLeucanthemum x superbumheight, hardiness zones and sun
- University of Illinois ExtensionLeucanthemum x superbumheight, hardiness zones and sun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 6 varieties across 2 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every variety in the Shasta Daisy group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | White | Jun–Aug | Zones 4–9 | Full sun | 2.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Banana Cream | Yellow | Jun–Sep | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 18 in × 20 in |
| Becky | White | Jun–Sep | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 3 ft × 2 ft |
| Crazy | White | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 2.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Shastathis page | White | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 2.5 ft × 1.5 ft |
| Snow Lady | White | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 12 in × 12 in |
| Snowcap | White | Jun–Aug | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 16 in × 16 in |
Good to know about Shasta Daisy
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
Not a clean non-toxic plant: the related oxeye daisy carries only a low rating for contact dermatitis from its sesquiterpene lactones. Best treated as a mild irritant. per NC State
Worth knowing
Winter wet, more than cold, is what kills this plant. Sharp drainage decides winter survival, its short life, and whether crown rot takes hold, all at once. per NC State
Is it toxic to pets?
ASPCA flags 'Daisy' as toxic, but that entry is florist mums (Chrysanthemum), a different genus. Shasta daisy shares the same compounds far weaker, so it stays a mild irritant. per ASPCA and NC State
Short-lived: divide to renew
A classic short-lived perennial that fades within about 10 years. Lift and divide the clump every 2 to 3 years in early spring to renew its vigor. per Iowa State
Draws butterflies
The open, nectar-accessible daisy heads draw butterflies and other pollinators, earning it a place in butterfly-garden plantings. per NC State
Excellent cut flower
An excellent cut flower and an old-fashioned border favorite, equally at home in the vase and the perennial border. per NC State and UGA
Deadhead and cut back
Deadhead spent flowers all summer to keep blooms coming; Illinois also cuts plants down in mid September to push fresh growth and lengthen the plant's life. per University of Illinois
What pairs well with Shasta Daisy
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Perennial Sunflower
Shares full sun and moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage.
Aster
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Rock Cress
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; lower at 4 in, for the front of the border.
Wisteria
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; a soft color beside the white.
Flowering Crabapple
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; stands well above at 20 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall as this one finishes; lower at 6 in, for the front of the border; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Lilac
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; taller at 10 ft, for the layer behind it; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Viburnum
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; taller at 6.5 ft, for the layer behind it; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.