# Oxeye Daisies (*Leucanthemum*)

Oxeye Daisies are bright, cheerful flowers with white petals and a sunny yellow center. They grow in fields and gardens, making the world look more beautiful and happy!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands
- **Also known as:** Wild Daisy

![Oxeye Daisies](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Leucanthemum_vulgare_close_up.jpg&width=800)

Photo: TobiasKierk, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leucanthemum_vulgare_close_up.jpg)

## Appearance

The Oxeye Daisies has a classic appearance with brilliant white ray petals surrounding a sunny yellow disk center. Its flowers sit atop tall, slender, unbranched stems. This common wildflower is larger and taller than the everyday lawn daisy.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Leucanthemum

## Interesting facts

- Farmers sometimes dislike them, but Oxeye Daisies are vital food for many wild insects!
- Its name 'daisy' comes from an old English phrase meaning 'day's eye' because it opens in the day!
- The petals of an Oxeye Daisy often close up tight at night, as if the flower is going to sleep.
- You can make a mild, soothing tea from the leaves and petals of Oxeye Daisies!

## Special abilities

- **Pioneer Power:** Oxeye Daisies can quickly establish in disturbed soils, helping to colonize new open areas for other plants.
- **Pollinator Beacon:** Oxeye Daisies has bright, open flowers that act like a landing pad, guiding many insects to its nectar and pollen.
- **Tough Roots:** Oxeye Daisies has a strong root system that helps it survive in poor soils and dry conditions.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-6 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to late summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — gathers pollen and nectar
- **Shelter:** [Meadow Spittlebug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/meadow-spittlebug) (*Philaenus spumarius*) — nymphs live in 'cuckoo spit' on stems

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Everblooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/everblooming): Everblooming plants produce flowers continuously or in repeated flushes over a long period.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't pick flowers in nature. They are homes for insects!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Oxeye Daisies?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Oxeye Daisies?

30-90 cm

### How wide does Oxeye Daisies spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on Oxeye Daisies?

3-6 cm

### When does Oxeye Daisies bloom?

Late spring to late summer

### Is Oxeye Daisies edible?

Yes

### Is Oxeye Daisies toxic?

None

### What is Oxeye Daisies's lifecycle?

Perennial

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Oxeye Daisies: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/oxeye-daisies)