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How to Grow Shasta Daisies: The Complete Shasta Daisy Flower Guide

Learn how to plant and grow shasta daisies, a classic perennial.

Botanical Name
Leucanthemum x superbum
Plant Type
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil pH
Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
White
Hardiness Zone
4
5
6
7
8
Special Features
Attracts Butterflies

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Planting, Growing, and Caring for Shasta Daisies

Catherine Boeckmann

The cheerful Shasta daisy is a classic perennial. It looks similar to the familiar roadside field daisy but has larger and more robust blooms. Here’s how to grow Shasta daisies in your garden!

About Shasta Daisies

A European native, Shasta daisies are now naturalized throughout North America. Like clockwork, these daisies return every spring or early summer and bloom until early fall. They can be aggressive growers, so if you don’t want them spreading, choose varieties that don’t produce viable seeds or remove flowers before they go to seed. Because they are capable of spreading and are non-native, consider keeping them contained in garden beds away from wild areas.

Shasta daisies tend to form clumps that are 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. They bear all-white daisy petals, yellow disk florets, and contrasting glossy, dark green leaves. Shasta daisies are terrific as cut flowers, as their blooms can last a week or more in arrangements.

Black bees on the clover-heads drowsily clinging,
Where tall feathered grasses and buttercups sway;
And all through the fields a white sprinkle of daisies,
Open-eyed at the setting of day.
–A²ú²ú²¹&²Ô²ú²õ±è;°Â´Ç´Ç±ô²õ´Ç²Ô

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Planting

Grow daisies in full sun for the best blooms. 

Soil should be moderately fertile—too rich, and you’ll get more vegetation than flowers. The soil should also be moist but well-draining.

To improve soil fertility before planting, loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost.

When to Plant Shasta Daisies

  • Sow seeds in containers in a cold frame in autumn or spring.
  • If you seed directly, expect blooms after one season’s growth the following spring.
  • If purchasing a plant in a container, plant in spring or early fall.

How to Plant Shasta Daisies

  • Space plants 1 to 2 feet apart. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the container.
  • When placing the plant in the hole, make sure the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.
  • Fill around the root ball and firm the soil.
  • Water thoroughly.
  • Taller plants may need support/staking.

Growing

  • Water during the summer only if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week. Daisies are generally tolerant of dry spells once they are established.
  • Every spring, apply some compost and mulch to help control weeds.
  • As flowers fade, deadhead to extend the blooming season.
  • After the first killing frost, cut stems back to an inch or two above the soil line. (See local frost dates.)

Dividing Daisies

To keep daisies blooming their best, plan to divide them every 2 to 3 years in early spring (before flowers appear) or in late summer or early fall (after flowers fade). Signs that a plant should be divided include:

  • Less-vigorous foliage growth
  • Smaller flowers or fewer flowers overall
  • Parts of the plant appear sparse or dead (especially the center of a clump)

How to Divide Daisies

  1. Use a spade or garden fork to loosen the soil around the plant, then gently remove it from the soil, doing your best to leave most roots intact.
  2. Brush or shake off soil from the roots. Then, using a sharp knife or pruning shears, divide the plant into two or more pieces, ensuring that each piece has at least a few stems and healthy-looking roots. Discard any diseased or damaged pieces.
  3. Replant the divisions as desired (spaced about 1-2 feet apart).

Types

  • ‘B±ð³¦°ì²â’ is a classic variety with large flowers that grows to about 3 feet tall.
  • ‘Cobham Gold’ is a popular variety with double flowerheads and a yellow disc carried atop 2-foot stems.
  • ‘Horace Reed’ is an elegant daisy with double white flowerheads and incurved disk florets.
  • ‘Snow Lady’ is a fast-growing, erect, bushy perennial that blooms the first year from seed and produces single white flowerheads in the summer.

Harvesting

  • Shasta daisies make for a lovely cut flower, lasting a week or more in arrangements.
Gardening Products

Wit and Wisdom

Pests/Diseases

Daisies are generally low maintenance and disease resistant. However, the following may occasionally be troublesome:

Flowers
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s ÃÛÌÒÁµÈË found each other. She leads digital content for the ÃÛÌÒÁµÈË website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

carol barany (not verified)

10 years 4 months ago

I dont want my shastas 4feet tall. Can I pinch them early in the season like I do with mums to keep them bushy and shorter?

Yes, it's a good idea to pinch shasta daisies early in the growing season. Pinching will make plants more compact and yield more blooms.

anonymous (not verified)

10 years 4 months ago

I just purchased 2 shasta daisy plants on a clearance rack. I live in Las Vegas. I replanted them in a ceramic planter and placed them on the front lawn. They will get plenty of sun. Should I water them at night? Should I cut the heads the are dead down now at the end of July? Many of them were dead when I purchased them last night. What is the best food to feed them and when? (time of day?)
I am very new at gardening and I am not having the best luck when I plant in the ground so I wanted to try this ceramic pot. I hope it will work. I will remember to divide them when necessary.

Thank you.

Fred Neikirk (not verified)

10 years 4 months ago

I am a newbee and dumb as a rock but I'm trying for my first time and I really enjoyed all the comments..Sorry but I may have overlooked the answer but can I plant the deadheaded Shasta blooms directly back in the ground and them grow? it's July in Southern KY and HOT!! Thank you for your help!!!

Hi Fred, Gardening is always a learning process--for all of us.
If you wish to propagate (breed) new shasta daisies from the ones that you have, here's what you do:
Do not deadhead some of your flowers. Let your petals stay on the plant and dry out. This allows the seed heads to develop.  Once the petals are dry, you can deadhead them in early fall and put the entire flower in a paper back. Leave them for a week to dry further. Then just squeeze the dried heads with your fingers (over a paper bag) and the seeds will release and fall to the bottom of the bag. Once you collect the seeds, you can replant in the fall or spring when it is cooler.

I purchased the Daisies in June in full bloom. We planted them as soon as we got them. They thrived for about 2 1/2 weeks and flowers slowing started to die. I deadheaded all the dead flowers now the plants are dying. We've been having a lot of rain here lately (NJ) and I'm wondering if that is the cause? I just read that I wasn't suppose to deadhead, but they looked so ugly! Is there any chance of recovery? Or have murdered my babies? lol!

Margaret Till (not verified)

10 years 4 months ago

Last year and again this year, I've planted "dwarf" shasta daisies in an old horse watering trough (planting in May). Each year despite my best efforts they have died. I've been growing flowers in this trough for 26 years; it has rocks in the bottom and composted soil above. All things planted there have thrived, except the shasta daisies. Adjacent to the watering trough is a ground level bed which has thriving shastas. I have another flower bed with thriving shasta daisies. So, I am confident I can grow shastas on my farm. I bought these "dwarf" plants from two different local sources, just in case that might have been a problem.

Do you have any ideas as to my problem? Perhaps shastas don't like being a container, albeit a big one.

Thank you,
Margaret

NANCY SLATER (not verified)

10 years 4 months ago

W
How is the best place to cut the flowers of Shasta daisy ? I planted so I could have fresh flowers in my house

When cutting your shasta daisies for the vase, just cut the stems in the morning. Put the cut stems in water immediately. In fact, we suggest you take a bucket of water with you. You can re-cut the flower once inside to the size of your vase. Make the cut in the water on a sharp angle. Strip all leaves that will be below the water line.

Terria Lee (not verified)

10 years 5 months ago

Can I start plants from the dry flowers? How will I know if the seed is any good?
Thank you!