Are these daisies perennial?

Yes, they are hardy herbaceous perennials that return year after year.

Do they need deadheading?

Deadheading helps prolong the bloom time and prevents unwanted self seeding.

Plant guide

Ox-eye Daisy.

Leucanthemum vulgare

Pronounced loo-KAN-the-mum vul-GARE-ee

Also known as Dog Daisy, Dog Daisy, White Weed, Moon Daisy, Marguerite

The ox-eye daisy is a cheerful wildflower that brings a classic meadow look to any garden. It is a hardy perennial that spreads easily and produces iconic white petals around a sunny yellow center. You will love how these blooms brighten up your landscape throughout the summer.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Perennial
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 5 to 7 days
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 9
Bloom time: Late spring to mid summer

Care

Plant these in a spot that gets plenty of sun to keep them blooming strong. Watch for wilting during dry spells, as they prefer consistent moisture to stay happy. Deadheading spent flowers helps encourage a second flush of blooms later in the season.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Feeding: Apply a balanced fertilizer once in early spring.
Pruning: Remove faded flower heads to promote new growth.
Repotting: Divide the clumps every few years to maintain plant health.
Soil: Well-draining loam
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.0
Temperature: -30 to 35°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Lifespan: Perennial, typically 3 to 5 years.
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the drainage holes.
Water running straight through the pot without soaking in.
The plant looks crowded and stops blooming well.

Safety

People: The plant is generally considered non toxic to humans, but ingestion of large quantities may cause mild digestive irritation.
Children: The plant is not considered dangerous to children, but as with any garden plant, it should not be ingested.
Contact allergens: Some individuals may experience mild skin irritation from handling the foliage due to sesquiterpene lactones.
Airborne allergens: The pollen can trigger hay fever symptoms in sensitive individuals during the peak blooming season.
Edibility: While the leaves are sometimes eaten in salads, they can have a bitter, unpleasant taste and may cause stomach upset in some people.

How to identify it

White ray florets around yellow center
Deeply lobed or toothed dark leaves
Single flower heads on slender stems
Grows in clumps or colonies

Height: 0.3 to 0.9m
Spread: 0.3 to 0.6m
Leaves: dark green, semi-evergreen
Flowers: white, yellow, 3 to 6cm

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
Powdery MildewCommon
Leaf SpotUncommon
Slugs and SnailsUncommon

By symptom

Plant problems by symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed, division
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: Cut the foliage back to the ground after the first hard frost to tidy the plant for winter. A light layer of mulch can help protect the roots in colder regions.
In containers: They grow well in containers at least 30 centimeters deep, provided they have excellent drainage.

Division

1. Dig up a mature clump in spring or fall.
2. Gently pull the root mass apart into smaller sections.
3. Replant the divisions immediately at the same depth as before.

Seed

1. Sow seeds directly into prepared soil in early spring.
2. Lightly cover with soil as they need some light to germinate.
3. Keep the area moist until seedlings emerge.

Plant these in groups to create a naturalistic meadow look that supports a wide variety of pollinators.

Grows well with

Purple Coneflower · They share similar sun and water requirements while providing a nice color contrast.
Blue Salvia · The blue spikes of salvia complement the white daisy petals beautifully.

Similar species

Shasta Daisy · It is a larger, more garden friendly hybrid of the common oxeye daisy.

Science

Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Leucanthemum
Order: Asterales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe and temperate Asia.
Conservation: It is considered an invasive weed in some parts of North America and should be managed carefully to prevent spread into wild areas.

It thrives in open, sunny meadows and disturbed soils where it can outcompete other grasses for light.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, attracts beneficial insects
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, beetles
Uses: meadow gardens, cut flowers, pollinator borders, cottage gardens

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 7/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 4/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Are these daisies perennial?: Yes, they are hardy herbaceous perennials that return year after year.
Do they need deadheading?: Deadheading helps prolong the bloom time and prevents unwanted self seeding.

Where the name comes from

Leucanthemum comes from the Greek words leukos for white and anthemon for flower. The species name vulgare means common.

Good to know

The name daisy is a contraction of day's eye, referring to how the flower closes at night and opens at dawn.
Oxeye daisies were once used in traditional medicine to treat coughs and wounds.
They are prolific self seeders and can quickly colonize open ground.

Keep your ox-eye daisy growing

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.