United States Department of Agriculture

Field Guide for Managing

Oxeye Daisy in the Southwest

Forest 

Service

Southwestern

Region TP-R3-16-33 Revised June 2017
Cover Photos

Top: David Stephens, Bugwood.org 

Bottom left: David Stephens, Bugwood.org

Bottom right: Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte, Bugwood.org

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1 

Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare LAM.) 

Sunflower family (Asteracea)

Oxeye daisy is an invasive weed in Arizona andNew

Mexico. It is listed as a potential noxious weed in New 

Mexico. This field guide serves as the U.S. Forest

Service’s recommendations for management of oxeye 

daisy in forests, woodlands, and rangelands associated 

with the Service’s Southwestern Region. The Southwestern 

Region covers Arizona and New Mexico, which together 

have 11 national forests. The Region also administers 4

national grasslands located in northeastern New Mexico, 

western Oklahoma, and the Texas panhandle.

Description

Oxeye daisy (synonyms: bull daisy, button daisy, field or 

white daisy, Marguerite, and others) is a short-lived

perennial in the sunflower family. Native to Eurasia and 

northern Africa, it has been sold as an ornamental but has 

escaped into the wild, often in seed mixtures used for 

restoration projects. Oxeye daisy is showy and resembles 

several native daisies. It grows in clustered masses and is 

distinguished by uniform solitary flowers growing upright 

from the end of branches.

Growth Characteristics

• Perennial, herbaceous, broadleaf plant growing erect

1-3 feet tall.

• Rosettes grow in clumps resulting in plants with

multiple flowering stems. 

• Stems are glabrous to slightly pubescent, 12 to 30 

inches tall and are simple to moderately branched. 

• Leaves are sessile and spirally arranged on the stem.

Their shape is lanceolate or ligulate and their

margins are coarsely-toothed. Leaves are hairless, 

dark green and glossy. 

• Flower heads are solitary at the stem tips and 1 to 2 

inches in diameter. Central disc flowers are many,

tiny, and bright yellow. Outer ray flowers (20 to 30) 

are white, petal-like, and sterile. Flowers throughout 

the summer growing season.

• Reproduces via seed and creeping rhizomes; seeds

are single, small and black (1 to 1.5 mm long)

without a pappus. One plant produces thousands of 

seeds that remain viable in the soil for more than 6 

years. There is no seed dormancy, and germination 

can occur throughout the year when conditions are 

favorable. However, establishment from seed is most 

common in the spring.

• Rhizomes at or near the soil surface have overwintering buds. New stems commonly emerge in 

early spring (April-May). Plants die back to ground 

under drought conditions, but rosettes can grow 

from rhizomes when fall moisture and temperature

conditions are favorable. The longevity of individual

plants or rhizomes has not been determined.

• Oxeye daisy has a rank, unpleasant odor that is 

especially noticeable in the mid-summer or when

leaves are crushed.

Ecology

Impacts/Threats

Oxeye daisy can crowd out preferred forage species 

thereby reducing carrying capacity for livestock and the 

value of hay. Where it spreads onto rangeland, it can lower

plant community diversity and degrade wildlife habitat.

Site/Distribution

Oxeye daisy is widely distributed since it grows in a broad

range of soil textures; however, it prefers heavy moist soil. 

It can be common in pastures, hay meadows, and

rangeland; along roads, trails and rights-of-way; residential 

and industrial areas; and near streams and other water 

sources. It has low tolerance for shade and prefers open 

areas. This weed iswell adapted to disturbance and often 

migrates to drier upland sites once established.

Spread

Oxeye daisy has no specialized morphological featuresto

facilitate seed or root dispersal so people, vehicles, and

animals are probable vectors for off-site spread. Seed is 
2

easily dispersed by water, humans, birds, and rodents; it 

can spread over long distances by adhering to surfaces and 

undercarriages of off-road vehicles and road maintenance 

equipment. Oxeye daisy seed is also spread from infested

hay meadows when plants with flowers are bailed with 

hay. It has been reported that oxeye daisy has been 

included in seed mixtures that were prepared and planted 

in meadows and various areas intended for restoration, 

such as after wildfire or areas planted for erosion control.

Invasive Features

Flower stems of oxeye daisy persist through the winter 

thereby allowing a long seed dispersal period from 

September through March. Germination requirements are

not specific; new plants may propagate any month of the 

year. Its basally growing rhizomes allows moisture storage 

and access to deeper soil moisture. Prolific seed production 

coupled with high germination rates and long seed viability

make this weed highly competitive.

Management

Early detection and management of small populations

before they can expand is extremely important for oxeye 

daisy control. Due to copious seed production and a high 

germination rate, unmanaged small populations may grow 

quickly and become more difficult to eradicate. Persistence 

and a long-term commitment are a must for complete 

control of oxeye daisy. The following actionsshould be 

considered when planning an overall management

approach:

• Healthy plant communities should be maintained or 

encouraged to limit oxeye daisy infestations.

• Check hay and straw for presence of plant fragments

or seed before using them in areas without oxeye

daisy; feed certified weed-free hay or pellets to

horses in the backcountry.

• Use only certified weed-free seed when planning any 

restoration activity.

• Detect, map, and eradicate new populations of oxeye

daisy as early as possible. Keep annual records of 

reported infestations.

• Implement monitoring and a follow-up treatment 

plan for missed plants and seedlings.

Table 1 summarizes some management options for 

controlling oxeye daisy under various situations. Further 

details on these management options are explained below.

Choice of method(s) for oxeye daisy control depends on 

numerous factors including current land use and site

condition; accessibility, terrain, and microclimate; extent 

and density of infestations; non-target flora and fauna 

present, etc. Other considerations include treatment

effectiveness, cost, and number of years needed to achieve 

control. More than one control method may be needed for 

each site.

Physical Control

Since oxeye daisy reproduces by seed and by producing 

rhizomes, physical methods that can destroy the entire

plant are preferred. Methods that repeatedly stress and/or

attack the root system are especially effective.

Manual Methods

Hoeing, digging, cutting, or grubbing are effective on 

smaller, isolated populations. If a mower or weed eater is 

used for suppression, then cut before plants produce seed 

and repeat as necessary through the growing season. Plant 

material should be bagged, piled, or burned.

Mechanical Methods

If using machinery to manage oxeye daisy, the equipment 

should be cleaned after use to prevent movement of seeds 

or root fragments into un-infested areas.

Mowing – Repeated mowing should be viewed as a

suppression technique; therefore, plant kill should not be

expected. In localized situations, mowing can reduce 

oxeye daisy seed production, stress its carbohydrate root

reserves, and decrease its competitive ability against 

desirable grasses and forbs. A rotary mower is ideal for 

larger populations,but a hand-held weed eater is sufficient 

for smaller populations. Plants should be clipped close to 

the ground in the spring, after bolting (but before seed set) 

and repeated again as necessary throughout the summer.
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Table 1. Management options*

Site Physical Control Cultural Control Biological Control Chemical Control

Roadsides, fence 

lines, or noncrop areas

Mow close to the ground

multiple times during

growth season. Combine

mowing with summer

herbicide application.

Use seed, mulch, and fill 

materials certified to be weedfree.

Clean machinery following

activity in infested areas.

Train road crews to identify

and report infestations.

No USDA-approved

biocontrol agent is

available.

For ground application,

use ATV, truck-mounted,

or tractor-pulled spraying

equipment.

Wash under vehicle after

application to prevent

spread.

Rangelands,

pasture, or

riparian

corridors

Use repeated tillage

only in areas to be reseeded. Combine with

herbicide spraying.

Prescribed burning is not

effective.

Use seed and forage hay 

certified to be weed-free; use 

pellets for horses in 

backcountry areas.

Avoid driving directly

through infestation.

Re-seed with desirable plants

that can compete.

Avoid grazing infested 

pastures during the early 

spring when oxeye daisy is 

the primary green forage.

No USDA-approved

biocontrol agent is 

available.

For extensive and dense 

infestations, use ground or 

aerial broadcastspraying.

For sparse infestations, use 

spot spraying with a

backpack or ATVsprayer.

Wilderness, 

other natural 

areas, and/or

small infestations

Hand-remove or cut before 

flowers develop; removal of 

the whole root is necessary. 

Pile orremove debris.

Use seed and forage hay 

certified to be weed-free; use 

pellets for horses in 

backcountry areas.

After passing through infested 

areas, inspect and remove any 

seed from animals, clothing,

and vehicles.

Same as above. Use backpack or hand-held 

sprayers to spot-treat plants.

* Choice of a particular management option must be in compliance with existing regulations for the land resource.

Tillage – In cultivated settings, repeated tillage can be an 

effective control option. However, this practice is feasible 

only in certain situations. Re-seeding following tillage is 

highly recommended since oxeye daisy is a pioneer

species that will germinate rapidly from seedbank reserves 

following disturbance. Local conditions dictate when reseeding should be accomplished. Typically in Arizona and

New Mexico, desired grass and forb seed are planted in

late summer or early autumn. Areas with suitable terrain

should be tilled at 3-week intervals with a plow or disc to 

a depth of at least 4 inches beginning when oxeye daisy is 

in the rosette or early bolt stage in spring.

Prescribed Fire

Little research has been conducted with regard to

prescribed burning for management of oxeye daisy. 

Considering the moist environment preferred by the plant 

and the limited dried fuel produced in these areas, it is 

assumed that fire is not likely to produce enough heat to 

destroy a high percentage of seed or rhizomes. However, 

fire can be used to dispose of debris.

Cultural Control

Prevention, early detection, and plant removal are critical

for preventing oxeye daisy establishment. Where

established, practices that encourage the competiveness of

desirable plant species and communities will make the

environment less hospitable for oxeye daisy to survive and

spread. Vehicles, humans, and livestock should be

discouraged from traveling through infested areas; a 

program to check and remove seeds from vehicles and 

livestock should be implemented to help stop dispersal. 

Seed and materials used for mulch, forage, or fill should 

be certified to be weed-free; pellets may be used for 

horses in backcountry areas.

Biological Control

Grazing

Oxeye daisy is well adapted to top removal; thus, livestock

grazing in infested pastures may suppress growth but this 

is unlikely to provide long-lasting plant control. Oxeye 

daisy is not a preferred species because of its bitter taste.
4

Horses, sheep, and goats reportedly graze oxeye daisy. 

However, this weed can become more abundant when 

grazing is not closely managed and other preferred species 

are taken first. Livestock that consume this weed in 

contaminated hay or free grazing should be held for at 

least 5 days before moving to weed-free areas to prevent 

the spread of viable seeds that may pass through the 

digestive system.

Classical Biological Control

No classical biocontrol agents (insects, pathogens, etc.)

have been approved by the USDA for use in controlling 

oxeye daisy.

Chemical Control

Herbicides are an effective and economical way tomanage

oxeye daisy, especially in range and pasture conditions. 

However, new populations often return within a few years 

of spraying from seed that is still abundant in the soil or 

from rhizomes not completely killed after treatment. To 

deplete the seed bank and attain long-term control,

anticipate the need to monitor after any treatment and use 

follow-up herbicide applications for several years.

All herbicides recommended in table 2 will control

emerged oxeye daisy when properly applied. On pastures 

and rangeland, several herbicides (including aminopyralid,

metsulfuron, or picloram) are generally safe to apply since 

they are selective and their use typically benefits grass 

growth. These herbicides can be applied alone in early fall 

after flowering and seed set. They are also effective when 

mixed in combination with 2,4-D (amine or ester 

formulations) and applied in spring during the rosette 

stage. Care should be taken when using 2,4-D alone or in 

combination as it has a restricted-use designation in New 

Mexico. Other selective herbicides to consider include 

dicamba (alone or in combination with 2,4-D) or 

aminocyclopyrachlor in combination with metsulfuron.

For oxeye daisy growing on stream banks or near the

water’s edge, consider using the Rodeo® formulation of 

glyphosate as it has an approved aquatic label. Glyphosate

is non-selective; therefore, it is best applied as a spot spray

to individual oxeye daisy plants to prevent damage to nontarget plants (including woody species). Each herbicide

product listed in table 2 will have different requirements

and restrictions according to the label. Read and 

understand the label prior to any application. Consult the 

registrant if you have questions or need further detail.

Herbicide Application

Herbicides may be applied with backpack or hand-held 

sprayers, ATV or UTV sprayers, or conventional boom 

sprayers that are pulled or attached to a tractor or truck. 

Any equipment used to spray herbicide should be 

calibrated. For sparse populations, one person or a small 

team can spray oxeye daisy using an individual plant 

treatment (IPT) approach. Plants may be spot-sprayed by 

wetting the foliage and stems without dripping while using 

an adjustable spray nozzle attached to a hand-held or 

backpack sprayer. Precautionary measures should be taken 

to protect desirable native plants during application.

Integrated Control Methods

Although experience with combining methods for control

of oxeye daisy is generally lacking, integration of methods

such as mowing and herbicide should be beneficial since 

the impacts of combined control measures are often 

cumulative. Using broadcast seeding or a no-till drill to 

increase competitive pressure on oxeye daisy from native 

plant species should always be considered where feasible.

Herbicide treatment combined with an application of 

nitrogen fertilizer has been suggested as an effective 

strategy for managing oxeye daisy in pastures. A project 

conducted in a mountain meadow pasture in eastern 

Washington has reported that nitrogen applied at 80 

lbs/acre (without herbicide) will provide an excellent 

forage response that can suppress oxeye daisy growth and 

dominance. Because experience in limited with such an 

approach in the Southwest, it would be best to first test 

this strategy on a limited basis before undertaking a large 

project area.
5

Table 2. Herbicide recommendations

Common

Chemical

Name (active

ingredient)

Product

Example1

Broadcast 

Treatment 

(rate per

acre)

Spot 

Treatment 

(spray 

solution)2

Time of

Application Remarks

2,4-D ester or

amine formulations3

several

manufacturers

Recommended

for use in

combination

with other

herbicides

listed below

3-5% Spring while

in seedling or 

rosette growth 

stage

2,4-D is selective for many broadleaf species 

but will not harm most grasses.

2,4-D is formulated in different strengths 

depending on the manufacturer. Read and follow 

label mixing directions.

Aminopyralid Milestone 4 to 6 oz 3% Pre-bud For use on rangeland and pastures. Will control 

many broadleaf species

Aminopyralid

+ 2,4-D3

GrazonNext

Forefront

R&P

2.0 to 2.5 pts 3% Rosette to

early flower

For use on rangeland and pastures. Will control 

many broadleaf species with little damage to

grasses.

Aminopyralid + 

metsulfuron 

methyl

Opensight

Chaparral

2.5 to 3.3 oz n/a Same as 

above

A selective granular herbicide for use on 

rangeland, pastures, non-cropland, rights-ofway, non-irrigation ditch banks, natural areas,

and grazed areas in and around these sites.

Dicamba + 

metsulfuron + 

2,4-D3

Cimarron 0.5 to 1.0 oz na Same as 

above

Selective; affects many broadleaf species but

will not harm most grasses.

Dicamba + 2,4-D3 Weedmaster 2 to 4 pts 0.7% + 0.5% 

NIS4

Seedling to

rosette stage

Selective with a broad spectrum; may affect

some sensitive pasture grasses such as 

bentgrass and legumes including alfalfa. Not

for use near water.

Metsulfuron

methyl

Escort 0.5 to 1 oz 1 gram per 

gallon

Early spring

or late fall (at

bud/bloom or 

rosette stages)

Selective; not for use on irrigation ditches or 

near waterways.

Best used during warm, moist conditions;

activity may be delayed during cold, dry 

conditions. Use 0.25% v/v NIS4

Picloram5 Tordon 22K 

[others

available]

1.5 pts alone or 

1.5 pts + 1 qt of 

2,4-D in spring

1 to 3% Combined

with 2,4-D 

during spring

or alone when

applied in fall

Best applied during post-flower stage in early 

fall with sufficient soil moisture.

Glyphosate Roundup 

Rodeo

Roundup:

1.3 – 2.7 qts

Rodeo: 

2.25 – 3.75 qts

Roundup: 1 to 

1.5% 

Rodeo:

0.75 –1.5% 

At rosette

stage

Non-selective; not soil active.

Rodeo is registered for aquatic use.

1 Trade names for products are provided for example purposes only, and other products with the same active ingredient(s) may be available. Individual 

product labels should be examined for specific information and appropriate use with oxeye daisy.

2 Spray solution is the herbicide/water ratio in a spray mix that may be used for spot treatment with backpack or hand-held sprayers. The amount of product 

applied during an annual growing season must not exceed the maximum application rate per acre as specified by the product label – refer to the product 

label for the site type and application.

3 2,4-D is a restricted-use pesticide in New Mexico only. A certified applicator’s license is required for purchase and use.

4 NIS is an abbreviation for non-ionic surfactant. It is an additive commonly recommended by herbicide labels for post-emergent foliar herbicide application.

5 Restricted-use pesticide – A certified applicator’s license is required for purchase and use.
6

Management Strategies

Small, isolated infestations on otherwise healthy sites 

should be given high priority for treatment. Perimeters of 

large infestations should be treated first and then worked 

toward the center. Because each treatment situation is 

unique, the strategy adopted to control large infestations of 

oxeye daisy should involve careful planning.

Re-seeding an area following herbicide treatment can

improve long-term control by increasing grass competition

with oxeye daisy. In areas where re-seeding is planned,

glyphosate can be broadcast sprayed for site preparation.

Glyphosate is most effective when applied sequentially at

about one-month intervals during the summer, coupled

with grass seeding in the fall. Make the first application in 

early summer (June or July) and the second about a month

later, provided green shoots are present. Sow perennial 

grassseed in late autumn as a dormant seeding (i.e., grass

seedlings will not emerge until the following spring).

Regardless of the approach followed, oxeye daisy cannot 

be effectively controlled within a single year or by using 

only one method. Complete control of oxeye daisy will 

likely require 3 to 6 years of repeated control methods. 

Since it is ordinarily useless to treat an area only one time 

without retreatment, sufficient resources must be allocated 

for the area where control is attempted. After initial 

treatment, it is important that resources are also available 

to respray or retreat the treated area as necessary. Treated 

areas should be monitored periodically, and measures 

should be taken to control missed plants and newly 

emerged seedlings. It is also important to monitor the 

return of desirable native plant species.

References and Further

Information

Duncan, K.W., K.C. McDaniel, and M.J. Renz. 2005. 

Chemical weed and brush control for New Mexico

rangelands. Coop. Exten. Serv., College of Agric.

and Home Economics, New Mexico State Univ. 

Available athttp://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/ 

CR_597.pdf

Jacobs, J. 2008. Ecology and Management of Oxeye Daisy 

(Leucanthemum vulgare Lam.). USDA-NRCS 

Invasive species technical note no. WT-19. Available 

at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_

PLANTMATERIALS/publications/mtpmstn7820.pdf

(accessed July 2014).

Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States. Available at

http://www.invasive.org/weedus/index.html 

(accessed July 2010)

Macknet, D. and W.S. Johnson. 2006. Identification and 

management of Oxeye daisy. U. of Nev. Fact Sheet06-17. Available athttp://www.unce.unr.edu/

publications/files/ag/2006/fs0617.pdf (accessed July 

2014).

Mangold, J., R.L. Sheley, and M. Brown. 2009. Oxeye

daisy: identification, biology and integrated 

management. Montana State Univ. Exten. Guide

MT200002AG. Available at

http://msuextension.org/publications/

AglandNaturalResources/MT200002AG.pdf 

(accessed July 2014).

Mitch, L.W. 2000. Intriguing world of weeds: oxeye daisy 

(Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L.), the whiteflowered gold flower. Weed Tech. 14:659-662.

Olson, B.E. and R.T. Wallander. 1999. Oxeye daisy. In: 

Sheley, R.L. and J.K. Petroff (eds.). Biology and 

Management of Noxious Rangeland Weeds. Oregon 

State Press. Pages 282-289.

USDA NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. Available at 

http://plants.usda.gov (accessed August 2010).

Suggested Websites

For information on invasive species: 

National Invasive Species Information Center 

http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/

Invasives.Org

https://www.invasive.org/species.cfm

For information about calibrating spray equipment:

NMSU Cooperative Extension Service Guide #A613, Sprayer Calibration. Available at 

http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_a/A-613.pdf

Herbicide labels online: http://www.cdms.net
For more information or

other field guides, contact:

USDA Forest Service 

Southwestern Region

Forest Health

333 Broadway Blvd., SE 

Albuquerque, NM 87102

Or visit the Southwestern Region’s 

website for invasive species:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/r3/invasivespecies

The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for reader 

information only and does not imply endorsement of any 

product or service by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Recommendations made here for 

pesticide use are not obligatory, 

nor do they imply that discussed 

uses have been registered. All 

uses of pesticides must be 

registered by appropriate State 

and/or Federal agencies before 

they can be applied. 

CAUTION: Pesticides can be 

injurious to humans, domestic 

animals, desirable plants, and fish or other wildlife—if they 

are not handled or applied properly. Use all pesticides 

carefully and lawfully. Follow recommended practices for the 

disposal of surplus pesticides and pesticide containers.