Davey Tree Flipbooks

34 OXEYE DAISY (Leucanthemum vulgare) PLANT DESCRIPTION Oxeye daisy, or field daisy, is a broadleaf perennial weed that can be seen in early summer as a 1–3 foot tall, multiple- stemmed plant with big white flowers that have a yellow center. In spring, oxeye daisy can be seen in rosette or seedling form as small clumps of leaves. Oxeye daisy survives over winter in root form. Oxeye daisy looks like garden daisies, also known as Shasta daisies, but oxeye daisy is slightly shorter and has slightly smaller flowers. LEAF: Oxeye daisy leaves are simple with a scalloped edge while young. As the plant matures, the leaves become more elongated and thinner. Rounded lobes develop into scraggly pointed lobes. STEM: Multiple stems arise from the rosette in spring. Stems are smooth, solid, and green. As oxeye daisy matures and produces flowers, stems turn reddish. FLOWER: Showy white flowers with yellow centers at the ends of stems emerge in early summer. SEED: Seeds develop in the center of the flower and remain in place long after the petals drop. Seeds are small and oval shaped with lengthwise stripes. A mature plant can produce thousands of seeds that remain viable in the soil for up to 20 years. REPRODUCTION: Seeds are the primary means of reproduction, with most seeds falling around the parent plants, but the roots of oxeye daisy are another means of reproduction. Oxeye daisy has rhizomes that spread underground, sending up new plants and creating mounded patches. WHY IT IS NOXIOUS: Oxeye daisy is an agriculture crop invader and can be toxic to grazing animals late in the season as it turns brown. Oxeye daisy is difficult to control with mowing since it is perennial with a durable root system. SEASONAL IDENTIFICATION WHEN TO FIND: The ideal time to find oxeye daisy is in late spring to midsummer. Look for attractive white flowers with yellow centers. SPRING IDENTIFICATION = MODERATE TO DIFFICULT Oxeye daisy can be found as a seedling or clumped rosette in spring. Leaves have irregular, rounded lobes. SUMMER IDENTIFICATION = EASY Oxeye daisy growing in leafy clumps has produced many upright stems with flower buds at the ends. Flowers emerge in early summer with white petals and a yellow center. FALL IDENTIFICATION = EASY TO MODERATE As oxeye daisy fades away, the flower petals drop, and the yellow center turns to a brown seed head. Stems turn reddish purple before the entire plant turns brown. WINTER IDENTIFICATION = DIFFICULT Oxeye daisy does not retain any visible form in winter but survives in root form. SIMILAR-LOOKING SPECIES SHASTA DAISY (Leucanthemum spp.) is a garden daisy that looks very similar but is not often, if ever, found to be growing wild along Ohio's roadways. Shasta daisy often has larger and taller flowers. MARESTAIL (Conzya canadensis) seedlings look similar with irregular lobed leaves but are covered in hairs. LOW HIGH ohio distribution roadside distribution growth seeds ability to dominate difficulty of control WHERE TO FIND: Oxeye daisy is common and widespread in Ohio, but is not a maintenance concern for the right-of- way. Oxeye daisy prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It can be found in mowed turf, but also in dense patches in disturbed soil at the edge of the road. Oxeye daisy can also be found in areas that have been sprayed in the past for bare ground. CONTROL METHODS: MECHANICAL: Mow or cut in late spring to reduce seed production. Hand pull individual plants. CHEMICAL: Make directed or broadcast herbicide applications with selective herbicide in spring before flowering. CULTURAL: Plant tall fescue in fall; allow to grow tall in spring. RECOMMENDATION SUMMARY: Oxeye daisy is a perennial weed that germinates in spring and overwinters below ground in root form. Accomplishing complete control should not be difficult, but must be performed in spring. For best control results, make herbicide applications in spring before flowering. Applications to growing plants after flowering may still provide control to roots, but will need follow- up applications for new seedlings. Make broadcast applications to oxeye daisy growing in turf and directed applications to isolated patches. Properly timed mowing will only reduce seed production. Failure to control oxeye daisy allows existing plants to perennially persist, which results in greater production of seeds that can spread to disturbed areas along the road and into adjacent properties. perennial RIVM LEVEL OF CONCERN

• Cover