Chrysanthemum X superbum - Shasta Daisy
Syn: Leucanthemum X superbum, Chrysanthemum maximum
Asteraceae, Compositae
K. Napora
Preferences:
A horticultural perennial that prefers full sun to partial shade, in fertile moist well drained soil.
Cultural Practices:
Propagation - Sow seeds at 15 - 18 degrees for 1 to 2 weeks. Divide the clumps every other year.
Culture - Very important that these are deadheaded regularly. You will also find that protected areas are better as they will tend to die out where there is no winter protection. These do not seed as prolifically as Chrysanthemum leucanthemum - Ox-eye daisy the smaller daisies that you will see growing wild in the ditches.
Landscape Value:
Common cultivars - 'Alaska', 'Snowcap', 'Becky' (zone 4)
Other Plants - Tanacetum coccineum (Syn
Chrysanthemum coccineum, Pyrethrum roseum) - Painted Daisy - This daisy has
fantastic bright scarlet red to pink coloured daisies. They flower early in
the summer and can very easily be distinguished from a block away. Great
when mixed with 'Telstar' dianthus (annual type).
Chrysanthemum parthenium (syn. Tanacetum parthenium) 8" tall, the outer petals (ray flowers) are white and the inner petals (disk flowers) are yellow. This plant is a herbal plant that was used for migraines, and headaches. The plant is small and seems harmless enough at first but if you let it go to seed you will have a thick carpet of them the next year.
Mums - There are many species and hybrids (generally from Chrysanthemum indicum and Chrysanthemum morifolium) that are used in the floral trade. On the whole, these do not survive in Edmonton or they put out their flowers very late in the year as they are triggered by the day length. I find they will begin to flower in October. There are many new cultivars that have come on to the market in the last couple of years. Nice colours and more hardy.