Ornamental · Asteraceae
Oxeye Daisy
Leucanthemum vulgare
Give it sun and lean, well-drained soil, and the oxeye daisy will flower for months, then keep right on spreading.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 3–8
1–3 ft · 0.3–0.9 m
Overview
The oxeye daisy is the classic white daisy of summer roadsides and meadows, with white rays around a sunny yellow eye. It belongs to the daisy family and was carried out of Europe and Asia long ago, and it has settled in across cool temperate regions ever since. Tough and undemanding, it shrugs off poor soil and cold that would finish off fussier perennials.
It is one of the easiest plants to grow, which is exactly the catch. Left alone, it runs by both creeping rhizomes and heavy seed, and a single plant can colonize a patch of ground in a couple of seasons. In much of the western US and states like Minnesota it is treated as an invasive or noxious weed, so check your local rules before you plant it.
For a controlled spot it earns its keep with months of bloom and almost no care. Give it full sun and ground that drains well, deadhead to push more flowers, and keep an eye on where it wanders. The sterile cultivar is the safer pick where spread is a worry.
Care
The short version: full sun and average, well-drained soil that stays on the dry side. Water only while it settles in, skip the fertilizer in decent ground, and deadhead through the season to keep the flowers coming.
Light
Plant it in full sun for the most flowers and the sturdiest stems. It will take some afternoon shade, but in too much shade the plants stretch, flop, and bloom less.
Water
Once it is rooted in, the oxeye daisy is drought tolerant and prefers soil on the dry to medium side. Water a new plant every 7 to 14 days while it settles, then mostly leave it to the weather, since soggy ground invites rot.
Soil
Average, well-drained soil suits it best, and it puts up with poor, lean ground that defeats other perennials. A slightly acidic to neutral pH of 6.5 to 7.0 is the sweet spot, but drainage matters far more than the exact number.
Temperature
This is a cold-hardy perennial that handles a range from about -40°F to 90°F (-40°C to 32°C). The deep winter cold of zones 3 to 8 doesn't faze it, and it bounces back from the base each spring.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity is no concern, so there's no level to aim for. Air movement counts for more here, because still, damp air around crowded clumps is what brings on leaf spot.
Feeding
In average soil the oxeye daisy needs no feeding at all, and rich ground only makes it floppy and even more eager to spread. If the soil is truly poor, a single light, balanced feed in the growing season is plenty.
Pruning
Deadhead spent flowers through the season to push fresh bloom and, just as useful, to stop the heavy self-seeding. After flowering winds down, cut the stems back to the low basal leaves to tidy the clump.
Size & spacing
Plants reach 1 to 3 feet (30 to 91 cm) tall with a spread of 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61 cm). Give each one room to breathe, since crowded clumps trap damp air and invite leaf spot.
When to plant
The oxeye daisy is hardy from zones 3 to 8 and takes hard cold in stride. Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost, set plants out once the soil warms in spring, and the white daisies open from May through August.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: 6 to 8 weeks before last spring frost
- Plant: After last spring frost once soil has warmed
- Harvest: Blooms May through August
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 3–8
Temperature: down to -40°C
Troubleshooting
This is a tough plant, so trouble is rare and usually traces back to wet, crowded conditions. Most of what shows up is a fungus or a few sap-feeding insects. Match what you see below and act early, while it still helps.
Whole plant wilting and yellowing with stalled growth
This points to verticillium wilt, a soil-borne fungus that clogs the stem from the inside and works its way up from the lower leaves. There's no cure once it takes hold, so pull and destroy the affected plants. Improve drainage and don't replant susceptible species in the same ground.
Fix:
- Remove and destroy affected plants
- Avoid replanting susceptible species in the same soil
- Improve drainage
Plant flops over with rot at the base of the stem
Soft, rotted stems near the soil line signal stem rot or southern blight, which take hold in warm, wet ground that drains poorly. Pull and discard infected plants before the rot spreads. Fix the drainage and keep mulch pulled back from the crown so the base stays dry.
Fix:
- Remove and discard infected plants
- Improve drainage and reduce moisture at crown
Brown or black spots scattered across the leaves
This is fungal leaf spot, which flares up in humid, crowded plantings and gets worse after wet weather. Strip off the marked foliage and open the clump up by thinning or dividing so air can move through. Water at the base rather than over the top.
Fix:
- Remove affected foliage
- Improve air circulation by thinning or dividing clumps
- Avoid overhead watering
Twisted new growth with bugs clustered on stems and buds
Sap feeders like aphids, mites, or leaf miners are at work, leaving puckered shoots and telltale mine trails on the foliage. A sharp blast of water knocks most of them off. Reach for insecticidal soap only if they keep coming back, and let natural predators do the rest.
Fix:
- Spray off with water
- Apply insecticidal soap if persistent
Toxicity
Treat the oxeye daisy as a mild irritant rather than a serious poison. The leaves and flowers hold sesquiterpene lactones that can give pets a sour stomach and leave sensitive skin itchy, but a stray nibble rarely does real harm. Keep pets from grazing on it and wear gloves if your skin reacts.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Mild
A cat that chews the leaves or flowers may drool, vomit, or have loose stools, and the sap can leave the skin itchy. The upset is usually mild and passes once the plant is out of reach.
Dogs Mild
Dogs react much the same way, with drooling, an upset stomach, and sometimes a wobbly, uncoordinated gait after a big mouthful. Most cases stay mild, but call the vet if a large amount goes down.
Horses Mild
The sesquiterpene lactones in the foliage can give a horse a sour stomach and mild colic-like discomfort. Horses tend to leave the bitter plant alone unless little else is on offer.
Rabbits Caution
Best kept off the menu, since the daisy compounds can unsettle a rabbit's sensitive digestion. A stray nibble rarely causes real harm, but don't offer it on purpose.
Livestock Caution
Cattle, sheep, and goats usually graze around the bitter foliage, so poisoning is uncommon. The bigger problem is the plant crowding out better pasture rather than the mild upset it can cause.
Birds Caution
There's little evidence of serious harm to birds, but the same irritant compounds make it wise to keep pet birds from picking at the leaves and flowers.
People Caution
Handling the leaves and flowers can leave sensitive skin red and itchy with a contact rash. The plant is not grown to eat, so keep it out of reach of small children who might taste it.
Contact with leaves and flowers can cause mild contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Only a couple of forms turn up in gardens, and the choice between them comes down to one thing: whether you want it to spread.
May Queen ('Maikonigin')
A tidy, upright form to about 2 feet (60 cm) with large single white daisies, and it stays put because it is reportedly sterile and grown only from divisions.
Leucanthemum vulgare (species)
The wild type carries 1.5 to 2 inch (4 to 5 cm) white-rayed flowers around a yellow eye and spreads fast by both rhizomes and seed.
How to propagate
The oxeye daisy multiplies almost too well, from both seed and division, which is a gift in a wild corner and a headache anywhere you want it to stay put.
SeedEasy
Sow in spring after frost or start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before last frost · Germinates in 1 to 3 weeks; blooms by second season
Seed is the usual route. Sow outdoors after the frost or start indoors 6 to 8 weeks ahead, and the seeds sprout in 1 to 3 weeks, then flower in their second season. Be warned that this is a heavy self-seeder whose seed can stay alive in the soil for decades, which is a big part of why it turns invasive.
DivisionEasy
Spring or early fall, every 2 to 3 years · Reestablishes within one season
Lift and split the clumps in spring or early fall every 2 to 3 years to keep them vigorous, and the divisions settle back in within a single season. Even small rhizome pieces left behind will regrow, so clear them out if you want to keep the plant contained.
Myths
Oxeye daisy is the same as the garden Shasta daisy and is safe to plant anywhere.
They are different plants. The oxeye daisy runs by rhizomes and seed and is listed as an invasive or noxious weed across many regions, while the clump-forming Shasta daisy stays where you put it. Treat the two as separate before you plant.
Daisies are completely safe and non-toxic to pets.
Plants in the daisy family carry sesquiterpene lactones and pyrethrins that can bring on mild vomiting, drooling, loose stools, and skin irritation in cats and dogs. The reaction is usually mild, but it is real, so keep pets from grazing.