Leucanthemum or summer daisy in the garden and on the terrace

Leucanthemum, or summer daisy, is a popular hardy perennial.

Botanical classification: The summer daisy belongs to the genus Leucanthemum which includes at least fifty plant species and belongs to the family Asteraceae.

Origin: It originates from temperate regions of Europe and especially from regions of the Iberian Peninsula.

Common names: Leucanthemum or summer daisy.

Toxicity: Not a toxic plant for pets.

Height – Plant growth: It is a perennial plant with large and strong branching of its stem and relatively fast growth. The height of the plant in the low variety does not exceed 35cm and in the highest variety it can reach up to one meter. It is a hard and strong plant with high wind resistance and does not need support

Leaves: The summer daisy has quite large leaves, up to 10cm (larger at the base), lanceolate to the perimeter, dark green.

Flowers: Its flowers are white, pink, red, hence the name Leucanthemum, they appear on the edge of each flower stem with one or more rows of lingual petals with a yellow center, and form the typical daisies 10cm in diameter.

Flowering period: The summer daisy shows abundant flowering. Unlike most varieties of the Asteraceae family that bloom in spring, it blooms almost all summer and especially July and August.

Roots: The summer daisy creates a rich, strong root system.

Tips for soil: Adapts to all soil types, grows best in rich, well-drained soil. The disadvantage is that it can not withstand coastal areas.

Growth rate: shows a relatively fast growth rate.

Light: Grows very well in sunny places.

Temperature: Withstands high summer temperatures and very low (-20 to 35 degrees Celsius).

Watering: It is a plant that needs regular watering and good drainage. It needs watering twice a week in spring and more often in summer (day after day).

Fertilizer: Leucanthemum is a plant with moderate fertilizer requirements. You need a special fertilizer for flowers (1 time in spring and 1 time in summer). We also add compost when we plant the plant in the spring and add in the summer.

I plant Leucanthemum in flower beds in the garden

The tall varieties of Leucanthemum planted three or four together, due to their resistance to winds, are suitable to complete plant hedges and for high borders.

They can also cover unsightly surfaces in yards and walls. In the garden, the low varieties can be planted at the end of the flower or they can be the center of a flower frame. It is beautiful and lasts a long time in the vase as a cut flower.