Leucanthemum vulgare - Ox-Eye Daisy

Family:	Compositae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.6
Synonyms:	Chrysanthemum leucanthemum.
Range:	Europe, including Britain, from Lapland south and east to the Mediterranean and Siberia.

Leucanthemum vulgare (Ox-Eye Daisy) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.6m . It has a hardness rating of 3and is vunerable to frost.
Ox-Eye Daisy will flower in December to February. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles, lepidoptera, self

Soil Information

Ox-Eye Daisy will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is / is important for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Ox-Eye Daisy prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Ox-Eye Daisy should not be planted in shady areas.

A common weed of grassy fields, avoiding acid soils and shade[17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Suits a meadow

Cultivation Details

Easily grown in a good garden soil in a sunny position[187]. Prefers a rich soil[17]. Plants are hardy to at least -20°c[187]. The whole plant is permeated with an acrid juice, making it obnoxious to insects[4]. The flowers have a smell like stale perspiration[245]. Grows well in the summer meadow but may need some help in maintaining itself[24].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 2/5
Leaves - raw or cooked[2, 115]. The young spring shoots are finely chopped and added to salads[4, 7, 183]. Rather pungent[9], they should be used sparingly or mixed with other salad plants[183]. Root - raw[5]. Used in spring[207].

• Leaves -
• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
The whole plant, and especially the flowers[7], is antispasmodic, antitussive, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, tonic and vulnerary[4, 7, 21]. It is harvested in May and June then dried for later use[4]. The plant has been employed successfully in the treatment of whooping cough, asthma and nervous excitability[4]. Externally it is used as a lotion on bruises, wounds, ulcers and some cutaneous diseases[4, 7]. A decoction of the dried flowers and stems has been used as a wash for chapped hands[257]. A distilled water made from the flowers is an effective eye lotion in the treatment of conjunctivitis[7].

• Antispasmodic - Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.
• Antitussive - Prevents or relieves coughing.
• Diaphoretic - Induces perspiration.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Emmenagogue - Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
• Tonic - Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
• Vulnerary - Promotes the healing of wounds.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Scented parts of the plants

Flowers : Fresh

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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