Leucanthemum × superbum


Leucanthemum × superbum, the Shasta daisy, is a commonly grown flowering herbaceous perennial plant with the classic daisy appearance of white petals around a yellow disc, similar to the oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Lam, but larger.
It originated as a hybrid produced in 1890 by the American horticulturist Luther Burbank from a number of daisies. First, he crossed Leucanthemum vulgare with Leucanthemum maximum DC.; this double hybrid was itself crossed with Leucanthemum lacustre Samp. The resulting Leucanthemum triple hybrid was crossed with Nipponanthemum nipponicum Kitam., creating an intergeneric cross of species from three continents. It was named after Mount Shasta, because its petals were the color of the snow. Some members of the genus are considered noxious weeds, but the Shasta daisy remains a favorite garden plant.
Many cultivars are suitable for cut flowers, such as 'Becky', 'Esther Read', 'Silberprinzesschen', 'Snow Lady', 'Tinkerbell', 'Wirral Pride', 'Wirral Supreme'. The cultivar 'T.E. Killin' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.