Shasta Daisy: Complete Plant Care and Growth Tips

Is there a garden flower more cheerful and friendly than a daisy? These flowers have been favorites for so long that their name dates back to Old English, c.e. 1300: “dæges eage,” meaning “day’s eye.” It’s a poetic recognition that daisies open their petals at dawn, “opening their eyes” to greet the morning sun.

The Shasta daisy variety was developed by botanist Luther Burbank in the 1890s, and named for the white snow of California’s Mount Shasta. Shasta daisies have that classic daisy look, a sun-yellow center surrounded by elongated snow-white petals. But they have larger flowerheads than their wild ancestors.

Why Grow Shasta Daisies?

Here are some of the reasons why Shasta daisies make such a great addition to practically any home’s landscape:

Shasta Daisies are Perennials. While many popular garden flowers are annuals, meaning they need to be replanted every year, once established Shasta daisies will come back each year for several years. As a patch of Shasta daisies expands, you can divide the plants and relocate some of them elsewhere in your garden.

Shasta Daisies Make Great Cut Flowers. With their long (2-3 ft), sturdy stems, Shasta daisies look great in a vase, by themselves or paired with other flowers. And their blooms can last for a week or more. One caution, keep the flowers out of reach of pets, as they’re toxic to dogs and cats.

Shasta Daisies are Tough. They may seem dainty, but these little white flowers don’t need to be treated with kid gloves. They like full, direct sun but can also do well in part sun or even part shade. They’re not picky about soil conditions, as long as the soil doesn’t stay soggy. They don’t need watering unless the local rainfall is less than 1 inch per week, and they can tolerate dry spells. That said, lots of sun plus compost and mulch will help them thrive and produce more blooms.

Shasta Daisies Attract Butterflies. Your patch of cheery Shasta D’s is sure to please neighbors and other passers-by. The flowers will also attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, helping the local floral ecosystem. Bees in particular appreciate that big yellow landing pad in the center of the flower. Conversely, Shasta daisies won’t attract those pesky, plant-munching deer, who consider the daisies quite inedible.

How to Plant Shasta Daisies

You can start Shasta daisies from seed, in which case you should start them about eight weeks before the final frost. Seedlings should emerge after two or three weeks in a seed-staring mix; keep them in a sunny window until the frost date is close. Get them used to being outside, keeping them in shade, and gradually setting them where they’ll get more and more sunlight. Bring them inside if there’s any frost danger.

Whether planting your own seedlings or starter plants from a nursery, plant in early spring. A spot with full, direct sunlight is best and will give the most blooms, but Shasta daisies can do well in partial sun too. Choose a site where the soil will drain after watering—no soggy soil is all that a Shasta asks of you. Keeping mind that Shasta daisies can grow 2-3 feet unless you’re planting a shorter variety. So you may want them in the back of a garden bed. Loosen up the soil and add some compost, and space the plants 1-2 feet apart. Plant so the top of the root ball is even with the soil around it. Water thoroughly.

You can also plant Shasta daisies in the fall, before the first frost, to give the plant a chance to establish strong roots before making flowers in the spring. In either case, you can help the plant during its winter dormancy by adding some mulch around it. Just don’t cover the leaves.

Care and Growth of Your Shasta Daisies

As long as they’re in well-draining soil, Shasta daisies don’t need much attention (aside from admiring them, that is). Don’t overwater—an inch a week is enough, including rainfall. Using compost and mulch to control weeds will be appreciated. If you pull off dead blooms, the plant will keep making new ones, extending the blooming season. If the daisies are bothered by aphids or other insect pests, you can blast them off using a garden hose, or zap them with insecticidal soap.

One way to help your Shasta daisies last longer is to divide them every two or three years, either in the spring before flowering or in the fall after the blooming is over. Carefully loosen the soil around the plant and gently remove it from the ground, keeping the root mass as intact as possible. Gently brush the soil from the roots. Then use a knife or pruning shears to cut the plant into two or more pieces, each containing healthy roots and stems. Replant the pieces, keeping them 10-12 inches apart.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Heeji Choi/Shutterstock.com