Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum 'Snow Lady')
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Snow Lady' is a compact Shasta daisy offering showy, white-rayed flowers perfect for borders and cutting gardens.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ delivers the classic appeal of the Shasta daisy in a compact, manageable dwarf form. This cultivar is highly valued for producing profuse, summer-long blooms, making it an essential component in traditional perennial plantings. Its sturdy, short stems mean you can enjoy the classic white rays and bright yellow centers without needing extra staking support.
Originating from Luther Burbank’s hybridization efforts, the Shasta daisy lineage offers reliable performance. Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ is especially adept at flowering continuously, provided spent blooms are removed promptly. Its low maintenance nature combined with its robust tolerances makes it a superb choice for both novice and experienced gardeners seeking cheerful summer color.
This dwarf Shasta daisy thrives in full sun and performs beautifully along borders or as a filler in mixed containers. Its clean look ensures that the Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ remains a staple plant, offering excellent visual impact until the late summer heat subsides.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Asteraceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.75-1 ft
- Spread: 0.75-1 ft
- Bloom Time: May to August
- Bloom Description: White rays and yellow center disks
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Dry to medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Planting Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ is best achieved in spring or fall when conditions are moderate. Ensure the location receives full sun exposure, which is critical for abundant flowering. This plant requires average, well-drained soil; excellent drainage is paramount, as wet conditions, especially during winter, can prove fatal to the roots.
Care is generally straightforward for this low-maintenance perennial. Water when soil begins to feel dry, aiming for consistently dry to medium moisture levels throughout the season. Fertilization is rarely necessary if the soil is reasonably fertile. The most important maintenance task is deadheading—removing spent flower heads encourages the Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ to produce more of its appealing daisy flowers.
To maintain vigor, plan to divide established clumps every two to three years. While this hybrid is somewhat short-lived compared to some other perennials, thoughtful care can extend its life. Some gardeners choose to cut the stems back to the basal foliage immediately after the main flush of summer bloom finishes, conserving plant energy. Being a variety that can bloom the first year from seed, propagation is also a viable option.
Landscape Uses
Shasta daisies, including the compact Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’, are mainstays in garden design, providing reliable, cheerful summer color. Their classic white and yellow profile works well in almost any setting, from formal perimeters to informal cottage gardens. They are particularly suited for border fronts due to their height, ensuring the view across the garden remains unobstructed.
The Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ excels in mass plantings where drifts of white create high visual impact against darker foliage companions. Furthermore, the long-lasting nature of their blooms makes them superb choices for the cutting garden, ensuring a continuous supply for indoor arrangements. They pair beautifully with blues and purples, such as lavender or salvia, providing strong complementary contrast.
Beyond borders, these robust, drought-tolerant plants perform admirably in rock gardens where drainage is naturally enhanced. For season-long color in containers, incorporate ‘Snow Lady’ with trailing annuals or shorter summer bloomers, keeping in mind that they appreciate good airflow.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Good Cut
Noteworthy Characteristics
Leucanthemum × superbum, commonly called Shasta daisy, is a hybrid developed by Luther Burbank (1849-1926) in the 1890s near snow covered Mt. Shasta. ‘Snow Lady’ is a compact, dwarf plant, typically growing on rigid stems to 12” tall, featuring 2.5” diameter flower heads with classic white rays and yellow center disks. This cultivar, a 1991 All-America award winner, offers excellent, long-lasting fresh cut flowers and requires no staking.
Tolerances
- Rabbit
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
Potential Problems
Leucanthemums generally carry some susceptibility to common issues like verticillium wilt, various leaf spots, and stem rots. Ensuring sharp drainage is the best preventative measure against fungal diseases that thrive in overly wet soil conditions.
In terms of pests, keep an eye out for occasional visitors such as aphids, tiny leaf miners, and mites. Routine inspection allows for early intervention, often requiring only a strong spray of water for aphids or horticultural oil for mites if infestations become bothersome. Proper spacing promotes airflow, which further discourages many disease issues impacting the Shasta daisy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Shasta daisy suitable for?
Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ is reliably cold-hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 9.
How large does Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ grow?
This compact cultivar typically reaches a height between 0.75 and 1 foot tall, with a similar spread of 0.75 to 1 foot wide.
What sun exposure does Shasta daisy need?
This species performs best and flowers most profusely when situated in full sun exposure throughout the growing season.
When does Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ bloom?
This perennial delights gardeners with blooms appearing from May all the way through August, showcasing white rays and bright yellow center disks.
Conclusion
The Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ stands out as a dependable, easy-to-grow perennial offering exceptional summer bloom in a neat, compact habit. Gardeners relying on the stalwart Shasta daisy for dependable white flowers should welcome this shorter cultivar into their borders and cutting gardens. Always confirm your local climate falls within USDA Zones 4-9 and ensure excellent soil drainage before planting this superb summer bloomer.
Propagation Tips
Since ‘Snow Lady’ can be grown directly from seed and bloom in its first year, sowing indoors in late winter or early spring is an effective method for increasing your stock. However, the most common method for maintaining the desired characteristics of established plants is division.
Divide the clumps of Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ every two to three years, typically in early spring or early fall. Dig up the entire clump and carefully separate it into smaller sections, ensuring each division has a healthy root system and several growing points. Replant these divisions immediately into properly prepared, well-drained soil to encourage vigorous new growth.
Companion Planting
Because the mature height of Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snow Lady’ is relatively short (under 1 foot), it pairs exceptionally well with taller background plants that benefit from its bright white contrast. Consider planting it near deep blue or purple spiky flowers such as Salvia or tall Veronica to enhance the complementary color scheme.
Sun-loving, drought-tolerant companions are ideal partners for this Shasta daisy type, as they share similar cultural needs for dry to medium soil and full sun. Excellent companions include Yarrow (Achillea), Russian Sage (Perovskia), or various Sedums, creating a vibrant, low-water perennial display that remains attractive all summer long.
