- Wildlife
- Wildflowers
- Oxeye Daisy
Richard Burkmar
About
A typical grassland plant, the Oxeye Daisy thrives on roadside verges and waste grounds, as well as in traditional hay meadows and along field edges deliberately looked after for wildflowers - swathes of gently swaying Oxeye Daisies can turn a field or roadside white in summer. Its large blooms appear from July to September and are so bright that they appear to 'glow' in the evening, hence the common names of 'Moon Daisy' and 'Moonpenny'.
How to identify
The Oxeye Daisy is easy to identify by its large, round flower heads that appear on single, tall stems. The daisy-like flower head is actually not just one flower, but a composite of a number of tiny flowers which make up the yellow disc in the middle and the surrounding white 'ray florets' (which look like petals). It has spoon-shaped leaves at its base and thin, jagged leaves along the stem.
Where to find it
Widespread.
Habitats
When to find it
- June
- July
- August
- September
How can people help
Once awash with wildflowers and alive with insects, our hay meadows have been drained, damaged and destroyed as a result of agricultural intensification; more than 95% of our wildflower meadows have been lost in recent years. Without care, those meadows that are left can quickly become overgrown, pushing out wildflowers such as Oxeye Daisies. The Wildlife Trusts look after many meadow habitats using traditional methods, such as hay-cutting, reseeding and grazing, for the benefit of local wildlife. We are also working closely with farmers and landowners to promote wildlife-friendly practices in these areas. You can help too: volunteer for your local Wildlife Trust and you could be involved in everything from stockwatching to surveying meadow flowers.
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.jpg "Bumblebee by Steve Mendham")