The Shasta daisy is a commonly grown herbaceous

Herbaceous

A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...

 perennial plant

Perennial plant

A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...

 with the classic daisy appearance of white petals (ray florets) around a yellow disc, similar to the Oxeye daisy Leucanthemum vulgare Lam. but larger. Formerly classified in the genus Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...

, these daisies were transferred to their own genus of Leucanthemum

Leucanthemum

Leucanthemum is a genus of about 70 flowering plants from the sunflower family . It occurs in Europe, Northern Africa and the temperate regions of Asia. Many species have been introduced into America, Australia and New Zealand.-Growth:...

because they lack some traits of true Chrysanthemums. Shasta daisies are characterized by a distinct odor which some find unpleasant, which makes them unusual amongst flowers.

The Shasta Daisy originated as a hybrid produced by the famed American horticulturist Luther Burbank

Luther Burbank

Luther Burbank was an American botanist, horticulturist and a pioneer in agricultural science.He developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants over his 54-year career. Burbank's varied creations included fruits, flowers, grains, grasses, and vegetables...

, Leucanthemum lacustre (Brot.) Samp.