The real deal

'Real Charmer'With decades of hands-on experience working in the commercial horticulture industry in Europe, the Realflor breeding team of Richard Read and Keith Lintott has produced outstanding new Shasta Daisy varieties. Realflor and PlantHaven are bringing these elegant varieties to the world markets.

Richard and Keith have hand-pollinated more than 5,000 Shasta Daisy plants and made more than 35,000 selections during the past seven years. This meticulous breeding and selection process has resulted in plant characteristics never before seen in this species.

The “Real” collection of Leucanthemums highlights distinctly different varieties with unique flowers. The classy, elegant flowers deliver outstanding petal substance.

All have a sturdy, upright habit that needs no staking, and all are well branched, producing a great abundance of flowers. These varieties are very floriferous with improved disease resistance. All bloom early- to mid-summer and then bloom again in fall. Blooms are excellent for long-lasting cut flowers.

The plants’ refined, narrow foliage helps increase the heat tolerance of these selections.

Once established, these are robust perennials that are drought and wind resistant. These superb Shasta Daisy varieties are well-behaved with a tight clumping habit. These Leucanthemums typically feature more than 100 blooms on a 2-year-old plant. All the plants in this collection are hardy to Zone 5. The garden performance, coupled with the plants’ unique characteristics, make this a profitable plant for growers, retailers and landscape contractors.
The first four selections in the collection — ‘Real Galaxy,’ ‘Real Glory,’ ‘Real Dream’ and ‘Real Neat’ — have been met with the most outstanding response from the industry globally. The varieties are being promoted in Australia and Europe, and they’re currently being trialed in Asia.

The collection has a compact group (‘Real Sunbeam,’ ‘Real Dream’ and ‘Real Neat’) and a medium group (‘Real Charmer,’ ‘Real Galaxy’ and ‘Real Glory’).

‘Real Neat’ features double rows of quirky, pure-white fluted blooms with contrasting bright golden-yellow centers. The petals have a feather-like look and texture. It has a tight clumping habit and grows up to 16 inches tall and 14 inches wide.

‘Real Dream’ delivers three layers of broad green-lemon petals, aging to white with contrasting deep-golden centers. It grows up to 16 inches tall and 14 inches wide.

‘Real Galaxy’ showcases many layers of fine fringed petals that are pure white with contrasting deep-golden centers. It grows up to 36 inches tall and 18 inches wide.

‘Real Glory’ has a reflexing anemone flower form, opening flat and reflaxing during a 7- to 10-day period. It grows up to 36 inches tall and 16 inches wide.

‘Real Charmer’ is new for 2015. It produces large, decorative blooms with fancy fringed central petals. Flower color is cream to lemon with contrasting deep golden centers. It grows up to 22 inches tall and 18 inches wide.

‘Real Sunbeam’ will be available in 2016. It features colorfast deep-yellow single blooms with contrasting deep-golden centers. It grows up to 36 inches tall and 18 inches wide.

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