Future Plants by Randy Stewart: Shasta, Hungarian & Montauk Daisies

Leucanthemum

Leucanthemum serotina ( Hungarian Daisy )
Also called the Moon Daisy. A very tall bushy Daisy reaching a maximum size of 8 x 3.5 feet, that is native to southeast Europe ( Czechoslovakia to northern Ukraine; south to Yugoslavia ).
The oblanceolate leaves are mid-green.
It bears large white flowers, up to 3 inches across, from August into October. The Hungarian Daisy makes an excellent companion for pink, blue and purple Asters. It is not well known but should be.
This extremely hardy plant can be grown from zone 3 to 9 in sun or partial shade on any well drained soil. Clay tolerant.

Leucanthemum x superbum ( Shasta Daisy )
The epitome of summer bloom; the Shasta is definately among my favorite perennials always cheering up a dark cloudy day and making a sunny day even brighter. They typically bloom over a long period beginning in mid summer, especially when deadheaded and also attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The Shasta Daisies look awesome combined with red flowering Monarda or Crocosmia and blue flowering Veronica.
The flowers vary in size but are up to 6 inches across on some cultivars.
The attractive, toothed, glossy deep green basal foliage up to 12 inches in length is often evergreen though the flower stalks are fully herbaceous thus freezing back to the ground in late autumn at which point they should be cut back. Removing spent blooms greatly extends the blooming season on Shasta Daisies as does frequent light fertilizing.
Hardy zones 4 to 7 in full sun to partial shade on very well drained soil ( wet soil in winter kills ) with an organic mulch. Shasta Daisy is tolerant of drought ( once established ), heat, humidity, salt, temporary flooding and fire.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photos taken on June 23 2013 in Washington, DC

'Aglaia'
Reaching up to 34 inches x 3 feet in size with deep green foliage and large, white, frilly flowers with white crested centers.
Hardy north to zone 3.

'Alaska'
Grows large, up to 4 x 3 feet with large, white, single, typical flowers up to 3 inches across.
Exceptionally hardy, north to zone 3

'Banana Cream'
A very fast growing perennial, reaching up to 1.8 x 1.5 feet in 2 years, eventually to 2 x 2 feet, bearing very abundant, fragrant flowers, up to 5 inches across, with creamy-yellow petals and a deep yellow center.

* photo taken on August 2 2010 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photo taken on June 10 2013 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 29 2024 in Elkridge, MD

* photo taken on July 10 2024 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* patent photo

'Becky'
By far the best variety for the south, standing up to heat and humidity better than any other cultivar. It grows large, to 4 x 5 feet with fresh, glossy, deep green luxuriant foliage and sturdy large, single, white flowers, up to 4 inches wide, that never need staking. Hardy zones 4 to 9

* photos taken on August 2 2010 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photo taken on June 25 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 20 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 14 2013 in Harford Co., MD

* photos taken on July 23 2014 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

* photo taken on Jun 20 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 25 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 25 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 1 2019 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on July 2 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 10 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 4 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 15 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 29 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 10 2023 @ Collingwood Arboretum, Collingwood, ON

'Broadway Lights'
A groundcover Daisy, reaching a maximum size of 1.5 x 1.5 feet, bearing creamy-yellow flowers, up to 4.3 inches across.
The lance-shaped leaves are up to 6 x 1.2 inches in size. The foliage is deep green.

* photos taken on June 30 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

'Coconut'
Vigorous, dense, compact and upright in habit, reaching 1.1 x 1.3 feet in 1 year, eventually to 2.2 x 1.7 feet.
The lance-shaped leaves are up to 4 x 1.2 inches in size.
The double, white flowers, up to 3.2 inches wide, appear all summer long.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

* patent photos

'Crazy Daisy'
Reaches up to 3 x 3 feet with abundant fluffy, frilly, double, pure white flowers with a yellow center in June and July ( to August if deadheaded ).
May be hardier, to zone 3 on protected sites and is reported to grow in parts of Alberta.

* photo taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.

* photo of unknown internet source

'Daisy May'
Moderate growing, compact, dense and sturdy, upright, reaching up to 2 x 2 feet in 2 years, eventually slightly wider.
The leaves are up to 5 x 1 inches in size. The very abundant, densely-petalled, pure white flowers, up to 4 inches wide, appear from late spring into early autumn. They appear up to a month earlier than many cultivers
Hardy zones 5 to 9

* photo taken on May 27 2023 in Burtonsville, MD

* photo taken on June 22 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 29 2024 in Elkridge, MD

* patent photos

'Esther Read'
Reaching up to 3 feet in height, it looks almost like a Mum with large, double, whte flowers borne during mid summer. The yellow "daisy centers" are barely visible on this one.
Hardy north to zone 5

'Exhibition Double'
Reaches up to 4 x 3 feet with semi-double, fringed, white flowers from June into July.

'Goldfinch'
Vigorous but compact in habit, reaching up to 1.3 x 1.3 feet in 2 years, eventually to 1.7 x 2 feet.
The lance-shaped leaves are up to 5 x 0.8 inches in size.
The semi-double flowers, up to 3.6 inches wide, are bright yellow at first, turning to creamy-white. The flowers are deeper yellow than 'Banana Cream'. They appear during mid to late summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

* patent photo

'Goldrush'
A very beautiful perennial, similar to 'Banana Cream' but with very abundant, creamy-yellow, frilled flowers, up to 4.5 inches wide, borne over the longest season of any cultivar.
Very vigorous and clumps, up to 1.4 x 1 foot in 1 year, eventually to 2 x 2.5 feet.
The foliage is luxuriant deep green. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 5 x 0.8 inches in size.

* photos taken on June 7 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 20 2012 in Columbia, MD

'Highland White Dream'
Reaches up to 3 x 2.5 feet with sturdy stems not needing staking. The lush foliage is up to 12 inches in length and the semi-double flowers up to 5 inches across are borne from July to September if dead blooms are removed.

'Ice Star'
Sturdy in habit, reaching up to 2.5 feet in height.
The very abundant, double white, pompom flowers are up to 3 inches across. The flowers are borne over a long season lasting mid-summer into early autumn if deadheaded.

* photo taken on May 21 2012 in Columbia, MD

'Lacrosse'
Compact in habit, reaching up to 15 inches, with white flowers that have a deep yellow cone.

'Luna'
Vigorous and sturdy, upright in habit, reaching up to 2.2 x 1.7 feet in 2 years, eventually slightly wider.
The lance-shaped leaves average 4 x 1.2 inches in size.
Creamy-yellow ( with deep yellow center ), very double, pom-pom flowers, up to 3 inches wide, appearing over a long season during summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 8

* photo taken on May 27 2023 in Burtonsville, MD

* patent photos

'Marconi'
Reaches up to 3.5 x 3 feet in size, bearing very large, semi-double, white flowers, up to 8 ( rarely over 5 ) inches across, from early to mid-summer.
The foliage is deep green.

'Marshmellow'
Moderate growing, sturdy, dense and compact in habit, reaching up to 1 x 1.4 feet in 1 year, eventually to 1.7 x 1.8 feet.
The toothed foliage is deep green. The toothed, lance-shaped leaves are up to 5.2 x 1.7 inches in size. The very double, pure white ( with yellow center ) flowers are up to 3.5 inches wide. They appear during early summer then repeat into early autumn.

* photos taken on May 29 2024 in Elkridge, MD

* photos taken on June 2 2024 in Ellicott City, MD

* patent photos

'Polaris'
Reaches up to 4 feet with huge 7 inch flowers.

'Real Glory'
Reaches up to 2 x 1.3 feet in 1 year, eventually to 3 x 2 feet in size.
The coarsly-toothed, lance-shaped leaves are up to 11 x 1.8 inches in size.
The large double white ( centered yellow ) flowers, up to 3.5 inches wide, are borne atop very sturdy stems. The abundant flowers appear mid-summer, repeating during early autumn ( sometimes continuous with deadheading ).
Hardy zones 4 to 8, it has superior disease resistance.

* patent photo

'Real Sunbream'
Vigorous, upright in habit, reaching up to 1.7 x 1.4 feet in 1 year, eventually up to 1.7 x 2 feet.
The lance-shaped leaves are up to 5 x 1 inches in size.
Large, yellow, single flowers, up to 3 inches wide, with densely packed petals, during early to mid summer.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

* photo taken on Oct 3 2023 in Columbia, MD

'Roggli's Super Giant'
Huge single flowers

'Silver Princess'
Rounded, compact plants reaching up to 3 feet in height. Single white flowers are borne over a long season from June to August. Can be reproduced from seed.

'Snow Cap'
A great compact cultivar only reaching up to 20 inches making it an excellent choice for the front of a border.
The attractive foliage is deep green.
The Snowcap Shasta bears abundant, white single daisies up to 4 inches across all summer long.
It is best propagated vegetatively to guarantee uniformity.

* photo taken on August 2 2010 in Bayfield, Ontario

* photos taken on June 14 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Jul 19 2017 @ Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON

'Snowdrift'
Reaches up to 3 x 3 feet with large, semi-double, shaggy, white flowers to 3.5 inches across during summer.

* photo taken by Milan Havlis, owner of central Europe's premier plant nursery

'Snow Lady'
Very dwarf, only reaching up to 2 x 2 ( rarely over 1 foot ) feet. Excellent large, pure white single flowers up to 2.5 inches across in June and July however the plant seriously lacks in vigor. It may be forced to bloom into September with dead heading and cutting back after the first flush of blooms.

* photo taken on July 1 2010 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 5 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 28 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 1 2020 in Columbia, MD

'Spun Silk'
Upright, dense and sturdy in habit, reaching up to 2 x 2.4 feet in 2 years, possibly slightly wider with age.
The toothed, lance-shaped leaves are up to 7 x 1.5 inches in size. The foliage is deep green.
The frilly, narrow-petalled flowers are up to 4.5 inches wide. It often blooms all summer ( sometimes into autum ) if deadheaded.
Hardy zones 5 to 9

* photos taken on Apr 25 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 30 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 8 2023 in Thornbury, ON

* photo taken on Apr 6 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Summer Snowball'
Reaching up to 3 feet with pure white, fluffy, round, tennis ball sized flowers.

'Sunshine'
Reaches up to 2.5 x 1.5 feet with pale lemon yellow flowers up to 3 inches across with a deeper yellow center.
Hardy zones 5 to 8, preferring partial shade in areas with hot summers.

'Switzerland'
Reaches up to 3 x 2.5 feet with leaves up to 12 inches in length and white single daisies with crisp petals borne over a long season from June to August.
Both cold hardy and more heat tolerant than average.

'T.E. Killen'
Reaches up to 4 feet with huge, single, white daisies all summer long.

'Venus'
Reaches up to 3 feet with double, pink flowers.

'Western Star Leo'
Moderate growing, compact and dense in habit, reaching up to 1.7 x 2 feet.
The lance-shaped foliage is deep green.
The white flowers appear all summer long.
Hardy zones 4 to 8.

* photo taken on June 10 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on May 29 2024 in Columbia, MD

'White Mountain'
Forms a clump, reaching up to 2.6 x 2 feet in size.
The foliage is deep green.
The abundant, single, white flowers are up to 3 inches wide.
Hardy zones 4 to 8

* photos taken on June 5 2023 in Elkridge, MD

'Whoops a Daisy'
Fast growing, sturdy, very dense and compact in habit, reaching up to 1.3 x 2.2 feet in 2 years, eventually slightly larger. It is similar but superior in many ways to the classic cultivar 'Snowcap'.
The toothed foliage is deep green. The leaves are up to 3.6 x 0.8 inches in size.
The very abundant, pure white flowers, up to 4 inches wide, appear during early summer.

* photo taken on May 29 2024 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 3 2024 @ U.S. National Arboretum, Wash DC

* patent photo

'Wirral's Pride'
"A massive Shasta reaching up to 5 feet in height with white, single daisies up to 3.5 inches across from mid to late summer.

Leucanthemum vulgare ( Ox-Eye Daisy )
Hardy zones 1 to 9. Similar to the Shasta Daisies in appearance but the Ox-Eye is far more likely to self seed. Also unlike the Shasta; it is also a rhizomatous spreader forming mats of foliage rather than a clump. The Ox-Eye has much shorter foliage, up to 6 ( rarely over 3 ) inches in length. While variable in size, it can reach up to 4 feet in height, and profusely bears white flowers, up to 3 inches across, during late spring into early summer. The Ox-Eye Daisy is native to meadows and open woodlands of Eurasia ( from western Europe to central Siberia; south to Spain to northern Turkey to northern Kazakhstan, Mongolia and northwestern China ). It has naturalized in parts of the boreal and temperate regions of North America including central and southern Alberta and even as far north as Fairbanks, Alaska.

* photos taken on June 1 2014 in Columbia, MD

'Filigran'
Robust with consistant, abundant flowers on a spreading plant. Unlike Shasta cultivars this one may produce abundant seedlings which may become annoying.

'Maistern'
Large flowers.

'May Queen'
Robust with consistent, abundant flowers on a spreading plant.
Unlike Shasta cultivars this one may produce abundant seedlings which may become annoying.

'Sedgewick'
Reaching up to 1.5 feet with a spreading habit and fully double flowers.

RELATED PLANTS

Arctanthemum arcticum ( Arctic Daisy )
Also called Chrysanthemum arcticum. A very attractive, mounded, cushiony perennial, reaching up to 2 x 2 ( rarely over 1 ) feet in size, that is native to Alaska.
The lobed, obovate leaves are glossy mid-green.
The very abundant, yellow-centered flowers can be either white or pink but are usually white. The flowers are borne during late summer into early autumn.
Hardy zones 4 to 7 in full sun on well drained soil.
Dividing clumps every 2 or 3 years during autumn or early spring will help maintain vigor.

'Red Chimo'
Large, showy rosy-pink flowers, otherwise similar.

Nipponanthemum nipponicum ( Montauk Daisy )
Also called the Montauk Daisy; this Daisy is a shrubby perennial bordering on shrub, reaching up to 4 x 7 feet ( rarely over 4 feet in width ). It makes an excellent specimum plant. It is native to shoreline areas on Honshu Island of Japan.
The semi-evergreen, toothed leaves are up to 4 inches in length. The succulent, thick, leathery foliage is glossy bright green.
The 3 inch, pure white daisies with yellow eyes appear during September and October ( even known to bloom as late as late November ).
Hardy zones 5 to 9 in sun or partial shade on any well drained soil. For compact growth it can be pinched during early to mid summer then cut back to 4 inches from the ground in early spring. An excellent plant for the eastern shore taking seaside conditions and even very sandy soil very well. This plant is NOT eaten by deer.

* photos taken on Oct 15 2011 in Columbia, MD