Ox-Eyed Daisy – Leucanthemum vulgare

Common Name: Ox-Eyed Daisy, Moon Daisy, Marguerite

Botanical Name: Leucanthemum vulgare, lu-KAN-the-mum vul-GA-re

Decorative Life: About 7-14 days.

Flower Color: White

Availability: Summer

Store at 32-34 F, up to 3 days wet and 7 days dry. However, minimum storage or transport times are advised.

• From the Greek “leukos” meaning white and “anthemon” for flower. Genus contains about 25 species of annual or perennial herbs.
• Common name may be derived from Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI, of the 15th century, who used daisies on her personal banner.
• The Compositae or aster family is vast, with over 20,000 species, and is also one of the most developed families. It was named Compositae because the flowers are actually a “composite” of many individual flowers into one head. Hence, when children pull one “petal” off at a time, saying “she/he loves me, loves me not”, they are actually removing a complete flower, not just a petal.
• White flowers are often dyed to get pink, green, red or blue colors by either submerging or solution uptake techniques.