Montanoa leucantha ssp. arborescens Family: Asteraceae Common Name(s): tree daisy Grown by: Don Mahoney, Richmond Southern Mexico and central America are home to many large shrubs or small trees in the aster family. The genus Montanoa includes some of the largest. This variety can become a multi-stemmed thicket to 30 feet tall. It’s juvenile leaves can be quite large, to 8” across, although mature foliage is only 2-3” wide. The flowers are 1-1/2 “ wide, white daisies with yellow centers that are produced in such abundance in late fall and early winter that they turn the whole tree white. The seed pods are also attractive. They need some summer water and are hardy only to the high 20’s, but will resprout if frozen by temperatures in the high teens. Bees and butterflies are always around the flowers. Photo by Steve Morse