Botanical Name: Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Madonna’

Common Name: Shasta Daisy

Hardiness Zone: Perennial in Most Climates (USDA Zones 5–9)

Size: 20–28" Tall × 18–24" Wide

Growth Habit: Compact, Upright, Clump-Forming

Sunlight: Full Sun

Soil: Well-Drained Soil; Adaptable to Average Garden Soils

Water Needs: Moderate; Drought Tolerant Once Established

Bloom Season: Early to Mid-Summer, with Potential Extended Bloom

Fertilizer: Light Feeding in Spring; Avoid Excess Fertility

Features: Pure White Daisy Blooms with Golden Centers, Clean Habit, Strong Stems for Size, Deer Resistant, Pollinator Friendly

Uses: Borders, Cottage Gardens, Containers, Cut Flower Gardens, Mass Plantings

Patent: ❌ Not Patented

Propagation: ✔ Propagation Allowed

See our complete Leucanthemum Plant Guide for full care details.

More About Leucanthemum ‘Madonna’ (Shasta Daisy)

Leucanthemum ‘Madonna’ delivers that classic Shasta Daisy look most gardeners love, but in a more controlled and garden-friendly size. The flowers are bright and cheerful, with clean white petals circling sunny yellow centers, and they sit neatly above the foliage rather than towering over everything around them. It gives you that timeless daisy effect without the height and bulk that some of the older Shasta varieties can develop.

‘Madonna’ forms a compact, upright clump that holds together beautifully instead of flopping or spreading all over the place after a storm. I’ve found that makes it incredibly easy to place toward the front or middle of a perennial border. It also works nicely in larger containers where taller Shasta Daisies can feel a little out of scale or top-heavy. Once the plant settles in, it handles short dry spells without any trouble and keeps producing those crisp white blooms through early summer. If you take a few minutes to deadhead the spent flowers, it often rewards you with a longer bloom window than many people expect.

Why We Like It (Our Trials)

At Garden Delivery, ‘Madonna’ quickly earned a spot as one of the most dependable compact Shasta Daisies we’ve grown in our perennial trials. Over several seasons, it consistently produced a dense, symmetrical clump of foliage that looked intentional and well-structured rather than loose or leggy. Some Shasta varieties start the season looking great but gradually open up or lean as they grow taller, especially after heavy rain or wind. ‘Madonna’ stayed upright and balanced the entire time, which meant it never needed staking or extra support.

One thing that stood out to me right away was how evenly the blooms were distributed across the plant. Instead of producing flowers only on a few tall stems, ‘Madonna’ tends to generate a nice blanket of blooms across the entire clump. That creates a much fuller display in the garden, especially when several plants are grouped together. In our trial beds here in the Upstate of South Carolina, the plants began blooming in late Spring and held strong through early Summer with very little drop in flower quality.

Madonna vs. Other Shasta Daisies

‘Madonna’ sits comfortably in the middle of Shasta Daisies, both in height and in overall garden presence. Compared to ‘Becky’, it feels more refined and easier to manage, especially in smaller or more structured plantings. Against ‘Snowcap’, Madonna offers noticeably more height and flower impact, while Snowcap focuses on neatness and uniformity. Madonna keeps a clean, upright habit without becoming bulky, which makes it very flexible in mixed borders. It bridges the gap between bold and compact better than almost any other Shasta Daisy I grow. 

‘Madonna’ sits in a different lane than Flower Power, offering a more classic look with a controlled, upright habit. Flower Power is bred for heavy rebloom and a slightly looser, more floriferous presentation, while Madonna feels cleaner and more structured in the garden. When set against Sweet Daisy™ varieties like Jane or Izabel, Madonna is taller and less dense, trading compactness for elegance and presence. I use Madonna when I want a traditional Shasta Daisy form that behaves itself, rather than something ultra-compact or bloom-driven.