Coastal BC Plants: Oxeye Daisy
Oxeye Daisy
When Wayne and I went quad riding on Texada Island this July, everywhere we looked there were carpets of daisies bobbing their pretty white and yellow heads.
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| Oxeye Daisies growing in profusion in a road cut. |
The variety was Oxeye Daisies (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum). They are a member of the Chrysanthemum family and were introduced to the area as a weed from Europe. Since they have spread far and wide.
The Oxeye Daisy is a perennial plant that regenerates annually from a woody rhizome. They grow profusely in fields, meadows, roadsides, and clearings such as logging cuts at lower elevations. Leaves are found predominately at the base of the plant with a straight stalk supporting each flower head.
The young leaves are edible and very sweet, and the flowers can be used to make a wine similar to dandelion wine. These daisies may be weeds, but very beautiful ones in summer. Well I guess that is unless they aren’t taking over your hay field or pasture. -- Margy
References: Roadside Wildflowers of the Northwest by J.E. (Ted) Underhill (Hancock House, 1981), and Plants of Coastal British Columbia by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon (Lone Pine, 1994).
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I didn't know they were edible, you learn something new everyday xxx
ReplyDeleteI'm not much of a forager, but that's what the reference said. - Margy
DeleteI like them too. I think they are pretty with their heads bobbing in the wind. They seem to be everywhere. When we hike in the tree farm where the old logging roads are---well they are there too.
ReplyDeleteMB
I don't see as many here on the Powell River side. Maybe they need it an area that's a little more dry. - Margy
DeleteI'm so glad you didn't rant about invasive species! There are so many, and the ship has sailed. There isn't nearly as much purple loosetrife as they warned us... I just have to enjoy the colours.
ReplyDeleteSomeone here mentioned to be on the lookout for loosetrife. I'm not familiar with that one. - Margy
DeleteOne of my favorite flowers - I just love the way they carpet the medians on the freeways and the hillsides and roadsides. I had one plant growing in my back yard and was going to get the seeds but our lawn mowing folks mowed it down - I forgot to tell them to save it for me. They are very good with the lawn - keep it spiffy and just the way I want - so I can't complain. Maybe I'll get out to the country and pick some seeds along a quiet road. Hasn't this been a great year for the daisies? I grew Shasta Daisies this year but they got about 5 feet tall and I want the shorter ones - if I don't get the seeds for the ox eyes I might stop at Lowes - I saw they had a very short variety of Shasta Daisy - very pretty.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was getting flowers from boyfriends (not that goes way back) I would always ask for yellow daisies. - Margy
DeleteI love the wild oxeye daisies, ours are all finished now.
ReplyDeleteWe just caught them in their prime. With the recent heat I'm sure these are gone as well. - Margy
Deletegive me your answer, DO!
ReplyDeleteROG, ABCW
I'm half crazy ... or maybe not. - Margy
Delete