Synonym(s): Chrysanthemum leucanthemum
Family: Asteraceae (Aster Family)
Duration and Habit: Perennial Herb
Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) is a prostrate herb with stems that sprout laterally from a creeping rootstock. When in flower, the plant?s height ranges from one to three feet. The white-petaled flower-like inflorescences have yellow centers. Leaves are dark green on both sides, one to two inches long, smooth, and pinnately lobed or toothed. The number of flower stalks ranges from one to forty per plant.
Native Lookalikes: Currently no information available here yet, or there are no native Texas species that could be confused with Oxeye daisy.
Ecological Threat: Ox-eye daisy can be a serious weed in many crops such as barley (Hordeum vulgare), flax (Linum usitatissimum), oats (Avena sativa), oilseed rape (Brassica napus), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), wheat (Triticum species) in Canada.
It displaces native plant species, growing so densely it excludes other vegetation. While not considered poisonous to cows, it does impart a disagreeable taste to their milk. It is difficult to control or eradicate because of its large seedbank, long viability of seed, and ability to resprout if not completely removed.
Biology & Spread: Ox-eye daisy spreads through abundant seed production and vegetatively by rooting underground stems (rhizomes) (Griswold 1985). Seeds have no special adaptations to aid dispersal, but are small and fall to the ground up to two meters from the parent plant. When the flowerheads are dry, the seeds drop or are shattered easily by touch or movement. Water, human and animal foot traffic, and cultivating and earth-moving machinery can carry seeds into new areas.
History: It is believed to have been introduced into North America in the mid-1700s. It is noted by Fernald (1903) that by 1785 this species was already well established around the Boston area. It is currently used as an ornamental, and is it often sold commercially in seed packets labeled as wildflower seed.
U.S. Habitat: In pastures and meadows it can form dense stands which can outcompete native flora and may reduce the diversity of natural vegetation or pasture quality.
U.S. Nativity: Introduced to U.S.
Native Origin: Europe
U.S. Present: AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK,OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Distribution in Texas: Reports from central and northern Texas
Invaders of Texas Map: Leucanthemum vulgare
EDDMapS: Leucanthemum vulgare
USDA Plants Texas County Map: Leucanthemum vulgare
List All Observations of Leucanthemum vulgare reported by Citizen Scientists
Ox-eye daisy produces a large number of seed and can also regenerate from fragments of rhizome which makes control of this species difficult.
Chemical: IT is not readily controlled by herbicides that are safe to use in mixed pasture or wild vegetation. 2,4-D, mecoprop and MCPA are only effective in relatively high doses and may require a mixture with metsulfuron, picloram, dicamba, tribenuron, bentazon, clopyralid or thifensulfuron. The latter three are among the more selective in legumes. Glyphosate is effective but non-selective.
University of California (http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/datastore/detailreport.cfm?usernumber=59&surveynumber=182)
Holm L, Doll J, Holm E, Pancho J, Herberger J, 1997. World Weeds. Natural Histories and Distribution. New York, USA: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/cabicompendium.13357
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