The Incredible Diversity of Luther Burbank's Shasta Daisy

One could arguably say that -- out of the over 800 varieties of plants invented by famed plant-breeder, Luther Burbank (1849-1926) -- it was the Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum) that was his most beloved for it was his fascination with the humble "oxeye daisy" of his native Massachussetts that set in motion his later illustrious career in working with plants.

Finally, it would take Burbank over 15 years and four different varieties of daisies from all over the world (the North American Oxeye Daisy, an English field daisy, a Portuguese field daisy and a Japanese daisy) to hybridize the Shasta Daisy.

Named for the likewise stark white of the perpetual snows atop Mt. Shasta in Northern California, the Shasta Daisy remains a flower-garden staple after nearly a century since its invention. Depending upon which source you wish to credit, there are now from 200 to 400 present cultivars of the Shasta Daisy in the world today and it narrowly missed being named the official flower of the United States a few years ago.*

*(Note: Because of intense lobbying by the florist industry, the rose won out; however, in this writer's opinion, one would be hard pressed to name a flower in existence today that reflects better the principle of "Good Ole Yankee Ingenuity" BETTER than the Shasta Daisy -- a TRULY "American" flower!)

In a recent visit to Burbank's Gold Ridge Experiment Farm in Sebastopol, California, for a meeting of the Farm's "Advisory Committee" (upon which yours truly has served as an active member, volunteer and former Co-Chair), I photographed just a few of the different varieties of Shasta Daisies in the collection planted in "The Cottage Garden" by volunteers in the last several years. I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the diversity of Burbank's wonderful plant invention (many created by hybridizers since Burbank's death), the truly "American" Shasta Daisy!

Here is a dwarf variety of the familiar "Alaska" variety of Shasta Daisy called "Silver Princess":

And here we see a cultivar actually invented by Burbank, the "Esther Read":

Here is a cultivar very much LIKE the "Esther Read" but without the yellow center:

Here is one of the newer hybrids -- one of my favorites -- the dramatic "Aglya":

And here we see a quite new cultivar (named for its yellowy hue) "Sonnenschein" (or "Sunshine"):

Of course I can't show you ALL of the 200 varieties here but my hope is that -- the next time you find yourself browsing through your local nursery -- you seek out one of Mr. Burbank's Shasta Daisies for consideration in your plantings. As a cut flower, their stamina can't be beaten and their resistance to insects and disease are legendary...

Happy gardening!

luv,

jean