# Yellow Oxeye (*Telekia speciosa*)

The Yellow Oxeye is a bright, cheerful flower that loves to grow in sunny places. Its big yellow petals look like sunshine and attract lots of happy bees and butterflies!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Meadows

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

Photo: Hardyplants, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Telekia.jpg)

## Appearance

The Yellow Oxeye has large, bright yellow, daisy-like flowers, often with slightly drooping ray petals, atop tall, sturdy stems. Its broad, deeply lobed leaves form a lush green clump at the base. It stands out with its cheerful, sunny appearance.

## Taxonomy

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

## Interesting facts

- Despite its size, this flower can quickly colonize new areas, spreading its cheerful yellow everywhere!
- Each stem can hold many flowers, creating a magnificent display of yellow in summer!
- Historically, some cultures believed carrying this flower brought good luck and fortune.
- Its scientific name, Telekia speciosa, means 'magnificent' or 'showy', truly describing its impressive bloom.

## Special abilities

- **Sunshine Magnet:** Yellow Oxeye has huge, bright yellow flowers that act like a beacon to attract many different insect pollinators.
- **Giant Leaf Power:** Yellow Oxeye can grow very large, hairy basal leaves to capture lots of sunlight for energy.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 60-150 cm
- **Spread:** 60-90 cm
- **Flower Size:** 5-10 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to early fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from its flowers.
- **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Actively visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Eaten by:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Can sometimes munch on its tender leaves.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [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.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [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 unless an adult says it's okay.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Yellow Oxeye?

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 Yellow Oxeye?

60-150 cm

### How wide does Yellow Oxeye spread?

60-90 cm

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

5-10 cm

### When does Yellow Oxeye bloom?

Summer to early fall

### Is Yellow Oxeye edible?

No

### Is Yellow Oxeye toxic?

None

### What is Yellow Oxeye'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: [Yellow Oxeye: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-oxeye)