Leucanthemum

Shasta Daisy

Message of the Flower

Creative Word

The Mother’s Comment

Belongs only to the Divine.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

The Creative Word is the word which creates.

There are all kinds of old traditions, old Hindu traditions, old Chaldean traditions in which the Divine, in the form of the Creator, that is, in His aspect as Creator, pronounces a word which has the power to create. So it is this… and it is the origin of the mantra. The mantra is the spoken word which has a creative power. An invocation is made and there is an answer to the invocation; or one makes a prayer and the prayer is granted. This is the Word, the Word which, in its sound… it is not only the idea, it is in the sound that there's a power of creation. It is the origin, you see, of the mantra.

In Indian mythology the creator God is Brahma, and I think that it was precisely his power which has been symbolised by this flower, "The Creative Word". And when one is in contact with it, the words spoken have a power of evocation or creation or formation or transformation; the words… sound always has a power; it has much more power than men think.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1955: 26 October 1955

Colour

White, yellow

Family

Asteraceae

Cultivars

Becky', 'Snowcap', 'Alaska'

Person who named the flower

Luther Burbank

Flower Size

2 to 3 inches across

Flower Texture

Smooth petals

Number of Petals

Numerous ray florets

Floral Symmetry

Radial

Fragrance of Flower

Mild to no fragrance

Leaf Texture

Slightly coarse, smooth edges

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate

Leaf Color

Dark green

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Herbaceous perennial

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Summer, often re-blooms until fall

Climate

Temperate

Water Requirements

Moderate, prefers well-drained soil

Soil Type

Rich, fertile, well-drained

Temperature Ranges

Hardy in USDA zones 5-9

Sun or Shade

Full sun to partial shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Slugs, powdery mildew, rust

Pollinators

Bees, butterflies, other insects

Habitat

Gardens, landscaping

Role in the Ecosystem

Provides nectar for pollinators

Quotations

None specifically notable

Ornamental

Widely used in gardens

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Mainly ornamental

Endangered Status

Not endangered