Leucanthemum 'Polaris'

Trial: Perennial

Years Trialed: 2001, 2002

Good Qualities:

Year 1:

Plants were in good shape but small. Cultivar seems vigorous and durable; Vigorous; Good strong plant.

Year 2:

Pretty Awild flower@ look, white with yellow center, productive; Good stem length, tall, good vase life; Easy to grow, nice thick strong stems, vigorous.

Problems:

Year 1:

Very common flower; Shasta's attract things!

Year 2:

Deformed flowers - short towards end of summer; Looks like a >Shasta Daisy=, has no market value, mums look better; The problem with these is the market is weak and the thrips are strong; Cucumber beetles.

Comments:

Year 1:

Similar to shasta daisy.

Year 2:

Editor note: See the Postharvest Report in this issue for vase life and handling information. No market value; Similar to all other Shasta daisies

Trial Data

Year 1

Leucanthemum 'Polaris'
  Plants flowering (%) Plants dead at end of summer (%) Yield (stems/plant) Stem Length (inches) Market Appreciation Rating - Wholesale (1) Market Appreciation Rating - Retail (1) Market Appreciation Rating - Consumer (1) Repeat Again Rating (1) Ease of Cultivation Rating (1)
Average 0 1.5 - - - - - 1.5 5
Range of Responses 0 0-6 - - - - - 1-2 5

(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.

Year 2

Leucanthemum 'Polaris'
  Yield (stems/plant) Stem Length (inches) Market Appreciation Rating - Wholesale (1) Market Appreciation Rating - Retail (1) Market Appreciation Rating - Consumer (1) Repeat Again Rating (2) Ease of Cultivation Rating (2) Average Spacing (in2)
Average 98.3 13.0 26.5 1.0 2.0 3.3 2.3 4.3
Range of Responses 95-100 7-22 20-40 1 2 1-5 1-5 3-5

(1) Data shown are from those respondents who harvested stems. Some respondents may not have harvested stems because they were too short. Flowering stems may be longer next year after plants are established. See comments section for more details.

(2) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.

Supplier

Green Leaf Enterprises/Benary (GL)

2369 Old Philadelphia Pike

Lancaster, PA 17602

717-299-0300

FAX 717-299-7162

perennials@yoder.com