Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Ontario Weeds: Ox-eye daisy

Table of Contents

1. Name
2. Other Names
3. Family
4. General Description
   • Photos and Pictures
5. Stems and Roots
6. Flowers and Fruit
7. Habitat
8. Related Links

Name: Ox-eye daisy, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L.,

Other Names: CHYLE, marguerite blanche, Field daisy, White daisy, grande marguerite, marguerite, chrysanthème leucanthème

Family: Composite or Aster Family (Compostiae) 

General Description: Perennial, reproducing by seed and by underground rhizomes. It is distinguished by its dark green, smooth, somewhat fleshy, dissected or coarsely toothed leaves, its large, conspicuous, daisy-like flower heads with white rays and yellow centres, its rhizomatous and fibrous-rooted underground system, and its disagreeable odour.

Photos and Pictures

Stems & Roots: Stems erect or curving upwards 20 - 90 cm (8 - 36 in.) high, single from upturned ends of rhizomes, or few to many from a stout root-crown; lower leaves broadly spoon-shaped, deeply and coarsely dissected or toothed, stalked, smooth, dark green, often glossy and fleshy; upper leaves narrower, similarly dissected or deeply toothed, stalkless and often clasping the stem, alternate (1 per node).

Flowers & Fruit: Flower heads large and showy, daisy-like, 2.5 - 5 cm (1 - 2 in.) across, borne singly at ends of stems and main branches; ray florets usually 15 to 30 per head, white, 1 - 2 cm (2/5 - 4/5 in.) long; disk florets bright yellow, short, numerous, densely packed, forming a slightly rounded centre; involucral bracts at base of each head numerous, firm, overlapping, light green with brownish margins; seeds top-shaped with a knob-like projection on the upper end, ridged, and with alternate black and white stripes. When crushed, all parts of the plant have a disagreeably sour odour. Flowers from early June to late autumn.

Habitat: Ox-eye daisy is very common and conspicuous throughout Ontario, often forming dense infestations in pastures, meadows and waste places, but also occurring in cultivated land, roadsides, gardens and lawns.

Related Links

... on general Weed topics
... on weed identification, order OMAFRA Publication 505: Ontario Weeds
... on weed control, order OMAFRA Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control

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