Oxeye Daisy
Family: Composite, Asteraceae.
Habitat: Meadows, roadsides, old pastures, and areas low in fertility.
Life cycle: Perennial; spreads by rhizomes and seeds.
Growth Habit: Erect, 1-3 feet high.
Leaves: 1-3 inches long; alternate, dark green, simple, lobed – especially the larger basal leaves. Basal leaves have large petioles.
Stem: Smooth; may or may not be branched.
Flower: June – August. Typical daisy-like flowers with white outer petals and yellow centers which are depressed in the center. Flowers are 1-2 inches in diameter and solitary on the stem.
Root: Rapidly spreading root system.
Similar plants: Oxeye daisy may resemble some species of asters. However, asters typically have unlobed leaves. Fleabanes have similar flowers that are much smaller than oxeye daisy and occur in clusters.
The problem is….Oxeye daisy can establish itself quickly in uncultivated areas, and can readily replace forage grasses in pastures. Its early blooming habit and rapid seed maturation allow it to become established early in the season. Seeds may mature even if flower stalks are mowed or cut down. Oxeye daisy is often included in wildflower seed mixtures. Avoid these mixtures; this aggressive weed will quickly out-compete more desirable wildflower species.
Seedling
Leaves
Oxeye Daisy in fence rows
Oxeye Daisy in pastures
Currently there are 21 weeds on the Ohio Prohibited Noxious Weed List:
- Shattercane (Sorghum bicolor) – February 8
- Russian thistle (Salsola Kali var. tenuifolia) – February 22
- Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense L. (Pers.))
- Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)
- Wild carrot (Queen Anne’s lace) (Daucus carota L.)
- Oxeye daisy (Chrysanthermum leucanthemum var. pinnatifidum) – May 3
- Wild mustard (Brassica kaber var. pinnatifida)
- Grapevines: when growing in groups of one hundred or more and not pruned, sprayed,cultivated, or otherwise maintained for two consecutive years. – February 15
- Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense L. (Scop.)) – March 29
- Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)
- Cressleaf groundsel (Senecio glabellus)
- Musk thistle (Carduus nutans) – March 26
- Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) – April 17
- Mile-A-Minute Weed (Polygonum perfoliatum) – March 7
- Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) – March 14
- Apple of Peru (Nicandra physalodes) – February 28
- Marestail (Conyza canadensis)
- Kochia (Bassia scoparia) – May 1
- Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri)
- Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) – April 11
- Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) – April 2
Each week, for the next 21 weeks, I will post information and pictures on how to identify these invasive and harmful plants.