Ox-eye daisy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ox-eye daisy
Scientific classification
Genus:	Leucanthemum
Species:	vulgare
Synonyms
List of synonyms Bellis major Garsault nom. inval. Chamaemelum leucanthemum (L.) E.H.L.Krause Chrysanthemum dentatum Gilib. nom. inval. Chrysanthemum ircutianum Turcz. Chrysanthemum lanceolatum Pers. Chrysanthemum lanceolatum Vest Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L. Chrysanthemum montanum Willd. nom. illeg. Chrysanthemum praecox (M.Bieb.) DC. Chrysanthemum pratense Salisb. Chrysanthemum sylvestre Willd. Chrysanthemum vulgare (Lam.) Gaterau Leucanthemum ageratifolium Pau Leucanthemum eliasii (Sennen & Pau) Sennen & Pau Leucanthemum lanceolatum DC. Leucanthemum leucanthemum (L.) Rydb. nom. illeg. Leucanthemum praecox (Horvatić) Villard Matricaria leucanthemum (L.) Desr. Matricaria leucanthemum (L.) Scop. Pontia heterophylla (Willd.) Bubani Pontia vulgaris Bubani Pyrethrum leucanthemum (L.) Franch. Tanacetum leucanthemum (L.) Sch.Bip.

The ox-eye daisy (scientific name: Leucanthemum vulgare) is a very common and pretty flowering plant. It's also known by other names like dog daisy or marguerite (which means "common marguerite" in French). This plant originally comes from Europe and parts of Asia. But now, you can find it in many other places around the world, like North America, Australia, and New Zealand, where it was brought by people.

About the Ox-Eye Daisy

The ox-eye daisy is a type of perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years and has soft stems, not woody ones. It can grow up to 80 centimetres (31 inches) tall. It has a special underground stem called a rhizome that helps it spread.

The lower parts of the stem are a bit hairy. The biggest leaves are at the bottom of the plant. They can be 4–15 cm (1.6–5.9 in) long and about 5 cm (2.0 in) wide. These leaves have small stalks called petioles and can have up to 15 teeth or lobes on their edges. As you go up the stem, the leaves get smaller and don't have petioles.

What Its Flowers Look Like

The ox-eye daisy usually has up to three "flowers" that look like a typical daisy. Each "flower" is actually a "head" or capitulum. This head is 2–7.5 cm (0.79–2.95 in) wide. It has between fifteen and forty white "petals," which are actually called ray florets. These white ray florets are 1–2 centimetres (3⁄8–3⁄4 in) long. They surround the bright yellow center, which is made of many tiny yellow disc florets.

Below the flower head, there are green leaf-like parts called bracts. These bracts are 7–10 millimetres (1⁄4–3⁄8 inch) long and have brownish edges. Ox-eye daisies usually bloom from May to October. After flowering, they produce small, seed-like parts called achenes. These are 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) long and have ten small "ribs" along their sides.

Comparing to Similar Plants

The ox-eye daisy looks a lot like the shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum). However, shasta daisies have much larger flower heads, usually 5–12 cm or 2.0–4.7 in wide. It can also be confused with stinking chamomile (Anthemis cotula), but that plant has smaller heads, only 1.5–3 cm or 0.59–1.18 in wide. Another similar plant is L. maximum, which usually has ray florets that are 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄8 in) long.

Naming the Ox-Eye Daisy

The ox-eye daisy was first officially described in 1778 by a scientist named Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. He wrote about it in his book Flore françoise. This plant has many common names, including ox-eye daisy, dog daisy, field daisy, Marguerite, moon daisy, and white daisy.

In the past, this plant was thought to be part of the Chrysanthemum group of plants. But now, scientists have given it its own group, Leucanthemum.

Where Ox-Eye Daisies Grow

This plant is originally from Europe and parts of Western Asia, like Turkey and Georgia. It's a common wildflower that grows in many different places. You can find it in meadows and fields, under small shrubs, in open forests, and in areas where the ground has been disturbed.

The ox-eye daisy has spread to many other parts of the world, including North America. In some places, it is considered an invasive species. This means it grows so well that it can take over areas and push out native plants. It likes to grow in places where it rains more than 750 mm (30 in) a year, especially in heavy, damp soils. It is often seen as a weed along roadsides and in pastures where animals graze.

How Ox-Eye Daisies Spread

Ox-eye daisies spread in two main ways: by seeds and by their shallow, creeping rhizomes (underground stems). A fully grown plant can make up to 26,000 seeds! These seeds can be carried by animals, vehicles, water, or even in contaminated farm products. Some of these seeds can stay alive in the soil for almost forty years, waiting for the right time to grow.

Why It Can Be a Problem

Infestation in native pasture near Guyra in Australia

Ox-eye daisies are not usually eaten by cows. This means that in pastures, the daisies can spread easily because the cows eat the grass but leave the daisies. This reduces the amount of good food available for the animals. In natural areas, like the Kosciuszko National Park in Australia, too many ox-eye daisies can crowd out native plants. This can lead to problems like soil erosion.

This plant is one of the most common weeds in its plant family. It was brought to places like Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand through gardens. In some areas, it forms thick groups, taking over the space of native plants and changing the natural environment.

It's hard to get rid of ox-eye daisies once they invade lawns. A new plant can grow from just a small piece of a rhizome. It's also a problem in pastures because cows don't usually eat it. If cows do eat it, their milk can have a strange, undesirable flavor. This plant can also carry diseases that harm farm crops.

Because of these problems, the ox-eye daisy has been declared an environmental weed in parts of New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. In some areas, it must be removed or controlled.

Uses of the Ox-Eye Daisy

Even though it can be a weed, the ox-eye daisy has some uses too!

As Food

The flower buds of the ox-eye daisy can be marinated. They can then be used in a similar way to capers, which are often used in cooking.

As Tea

In the Arava Desert in Southern Israel, ox-eye daisies grow wild. People there traditionally pick and dry the flowers to make a type of herbal tea.

In Gardens

Many people grow L. vulgare as an ornamental plant in their gardens. It's a popular choice for creating beautiful meadows or natural-looking landscapes. It can grow in many different conditions, but it likes sunny or partly sunny spots with damp, average soil. Gardeners often remove faded flowers to encourage more blooms and keep the plant looking neat. There are even special types, called cultivars, like 'May Queen', that start blooming very early in the spring.

Allergies

Some people can have contact dermatitis (a skin rash) if they touch daisies, including the ox-eye daisy.

See also

In Spanish: Leucanthemum vulgare para niños