Ox-Eye Daisy

Composite or aster (Asteraceae family):

Leucanthemum vulgare Lam.

EPPO code:

CHYLE

Other names:

Field daisy, white daisy, whiteweed, poorland flower, marguerite.

Species information

Lifecycle:

Perennial.

Propagation:

Reproduces by seed and underground rhizomes.

Emergence:

Seedlings emerge in early spring but also in the fall.

Habitat:

Ox-eye daisy is commonly found in waste areas, meadows, pastures and lawns, but can be found in cultivated fields, usually on heavier textured soils.

Identification clues

Leaves

Cotyledons:

Oval and narrowing into a short petiole.

Young leaves:

The first seedling leaves of ox-eye daisy are spoon-shaped and lobed with shallow wavy teeth. At first, they are opposite, but they then alternate and produce a basal rosette.

Mature leaves:

Basal rosette leaves are smooth, hairless, spoon shaped, lobed and wavy toothed. Stem leaves are alternate and more sharply toothed.

Mature plant

Stem:

The stem of ox-eye daisy is erect and grows between 20 and 90 cm tall.

Flowers:

Its flower heads (inflorescences) are daisy-like with yellow centers (disk florets) and 20–30 white, petal-looking ray florets. The flowerhead is 2.5–5 cm in diameter.

Root:

Ox-eye daisy has shallow fibrous roots with short rhizomes that hold soil quite efficiently.

Often mistaken for

I know it's not Scentless chamomile because although the flower heads appear similar, ox-eye daisy’s inflorescence will have 20–30 white ray florets. While scentless chamomile has 10–20 ray florets. The leaves of each plant are drastically different; scentless chamomile’s are finely divided, while the leaves of ox-eye daisy are entire or broadly divided.