Chrysanthemum Maximum
Fun Facts about Chrysanthemum Maximum
The chrysanthemum maximum is a colorful and fun flower that can be a gorgeous addition to any garden. The plant is also commonly referred to as the Shasta daisy. Renowned plant breeder and hybridizer Luther Burbank is credited with having come up with this hybrid of the daisy which has retained all the beauty of the original flower without its invasiveness. Burbank lived in Northern California and this flower is named after the famous and beautiful Mount Shasta.
This perennial herbaceous plant is remarkably easy to manage and lends itself to many a landscape. The range in height from one to three feet and make for elegant borders and in some cases even low-ranging hedges along the back of a garden. The chrysanthemum maximum attracts bees, butterflies and birds and is repels deer making it a dream combination for the gardener.
The plants should be spaced 1 to 2 feet apart while being planted to allow for some spread. The plant is rated as hardy in USDA zones 4a through 10b and is known to recover well even from some tough winters. The plant flowers well when placed in full sun with partial shade.
The chrysanthemum maximum thrives in moist soil which is enhanced by organic additions such as leaf mold, compost or cow manure and in its dormant period it needs drier conditions. A well-established Shasta daisy does not need too much watering and it is quite drought resistant. In terms of pH levels, the plant does well in soil with acidic levels of 6.1 to 7.8 which covers the spectrum from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline.
The white flowers with the classic daisy shape and the yellow centre and classically beautiful and they make for great cut flowers also. The flowers of the chrysanthemum maximum can be fairly large and they come in anemone, single and double forms. The plant blooms from mid-summer all the way through fall and its long flowering period is one of the reasons it is a great addition to any garden. If you choose to use the flowers indoors, they will last for up to 10 days which makes them a popular addition in bouquets.
These plants are remarkably easy to propagate. They can be grown from dividing the roots or from seed. You can plant the seeds indoor before the last frost or plant directly outside after the last frost. If growing from seed, remember that you should start expecting flowering only from the second spring. If you are using the division of the root clump method, you have to do that in early spring as well. Thorough watering and fertilizing in the early period will help the plant establish itself. You may need to mulch in subsequent springs.
There is very little you need to do in terms of maintenance for the chrysanthemum maximum. You should remove flowers as soon as they begin to fade as the plant can otherwise get a weary and tired look to a section of your garden. Prompt deadheading also encourages new blooms.
Some people do not like the smell of this plant and flowers and they tend to plant the chrysanthemum maximum amid more fragrant blooms or place it away from a walking path or sitting area. By placing it farther back, you can enjoy the beauty without dealing with the unpleasant smell if the smell bothers you. There are a few cases where the gardeners have reported the plant becoming invasive although this is generally not the case. You can avoid this possibility by deadheading immediately after the flowering period to limit seed disbursement. However, if you do get plants that you do not want, it is a plant that deals well with transplanting and so you can always gift new plants to friends and family.