That is gorgeous!!!!

Pam

I agree. It's amazing what can happen in the right location.

WOW!!

thanks for sharing your beautifull leucantha

Those of you who have grown this before - I am in 7b so I am worried about it surviving the winter (I see it is hardy to zone 8). Anything special I should do?

Becky

It has been pretty reliable for me in central North Carolina. The main problems seem to be drainage and overfertile soil where it grows rapidly and robustly, then comes to a screeching halt when it uses up all the nutrients. Slower growing specimens that get a regular boost of fertilizer, then get divided every 3-5 years last longer.

I've never successfully wintered over a leucantha in the ground here in New Jersey. A few years ago I gave up and just grew them in large pots that could be dragged into the garage when the weatherman called for a freeze. It is the only way I get to have plants the look like the one pictured since they can usually be kept going into early January.

Mine just started blooming, too, but it's taller with fewer stems and blooms. Yours is so lovely, Becky! Thanks for sharing!

Brenda

My "Santa Barbara" has stubbornly refused to bloom. It suffered severely during the freeze in January, but other S. leucanthas in the area (Temecula) are flowering.

I had one here in the piedmont of NC and it survived 3 winters in a row. This spring it failed to return and I think that it is due to the late freeze back we had around Easter since everything else was the same as in previous years. In the fall I leave the plant alone and don't prune it back until early spring. I also tend to mulch it with shredded leaves in late fall. This post made me realize that I didn't replace it this year and should have--it is one great plant! My Santa Barbara plant which was also planted last spring didn't return this spring either.

{{gwi:582508}}