Becky Shasta Daisy

Join the butterflies in enjoying giant white flowers all summer long when you grow Becky Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum Becky). The 2003 Perennial Plant of the Year, this daisy is tough and hardy, growing as a perennial in zones 4 through 8. The pretty white petals on the flowers reach up to 5 inches around, dotted with a classic daisy yellow center. Since they can grow 3 to 4 feet tall, shasta daisies are great as back borders to garden beds and to add pretty white shades before dark fences and structures. Becky Shasta Daisy will spread to about 2 to 3 feet wide at the base and is covered with deep green leaves to about a foot high. Cut the flowers to add height and white to indoor flower arrangements or leave them on the plant to thrill pollinators. This perennial is easy to grow, stunning in mass plantings, and both deer and rabbit resistant. Its also a low-water favorite in drought-prone gardens. Becky Shasta Daisy Care Plant Becky in full sun (at least 6 hours a day) for best daisy production. If you live on the hot side of its hardiness zones (zone 8 or even 9), be sure to give the plant some afternoon shade. Any average soil will work, as long as it has good drainage. If you choose to plant it in a container, be sure the soil is loose and the pot has adequate drain holes. Give your plant average, consistent watering in its first year, but avoid letting the soil become soggy. With simple deadheading (removing faded blooms), you can have blooms from midsummer through early fall on Becky Shasta Daisy. In fall, cut flower stems back to a few inches above the ground once the foliage has yellowed. Prune the plant in spring to about 6 inches above the ground. Add a layer of organic compost around the root zone each spring and fertilize lightly. Fertilize once again in early summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer. Becky Shasta Daisy Spacing Shasta daisies might reseed and need division, so take care to plant them far enough apart to avoid overcrowding. Typically, nearly 3 feet apart will suffice.