Plant Guide
May Queen Shasta Daisy
Leucanthemum x superbum 'May Queen'
Plant Height: 18 inches
Flower Height: 24 inches
Spacing: 20 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4a
Description:
An outstanding shasta daisy producing stunning white blooms with golden centers; a beautiful addition to the garden when massed; hardy and blooms througout the summer
Ornamental Features
May Queen Shasta Daisy has masses of beautiful white daisy flowers with gold eyes at the ends of the stems from early to late summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its serrated narrow leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
May Queen Shasta Daisy is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
- Insects
May Queen Shasta Daisy is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
May Queen Shasta Daisy will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 20 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
May Queen Shasta Daisy is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.