Leucanthemum vulgare Seeds | Oxeye Daisy
LATIN NAME: Leucanthemum vulgare
COMMON NAME: Oxeye Daisy, Marguerite, Moon Daisy
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) is a perennial in the daisy family, native to meadows and grasslands of Europe and Asia, while it has been introduced widely across temperate regions. Taken as a whole, it is a plant that repays a little attention many times over.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the daisy family, Leucanthemum vulgare draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Oxeye daisy has a real and distinguished place in research. In practice, its long garden history means the grower inherits a plant of known and dependable habits.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Oxeye Daisy has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Oxeye daisy is a cheerful perennial of meadows and roadsides, bearing many white, daisy-like flowers with yellow centres through the summer. Its flowers are a magnet for bees and butterflies, and its cheerful, spreading growth gives a fine presence in meadow and wild garden, while its tolerance of poor soil makes it a valuable plant for naturalized area. To raise oxeye daisy, sow seeds on surface of pots of moist, open soil in a sunny, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow little plants on in the sun. In later seasons it demands little more than an appreciative eye.
Shasta daisies are the cheerful backbone of the summer border and make long-lasting cut flowers; they have no medicinal record.
Growing from Seed
Oxeye Daisy grows readily from seed. Surface-sow onto a light, well-drained compost, dust over a thin covering, and keep evenly moist and sunny until the seedlings show. A spell of cool, moist conditions ahead of sowing brings the seed along nicely and supports even germination. Transplant the sturdiest seedlings to their permanent spots and let them develop without disturbance.
Our Take
Oxeye Daisy, Marguerite, Moon Daisy settles in quickly once it finds its footing. A few weeks of cold, moist stratification before sowing mirrors its natural cycle.
Related Reading
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