Autumn oxeye

Autumn oxeye: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright, broad clump 1.4–1.8 m tall and 60–80 cm wide, with sturdy, branching stems.

Leaves

Dark green, lance-shaped to toothed with a serrated edge, arranged alternately along the stem.

Flower

Daisy-like flowers 5–7 cm across with white petals and a yellow centre, from September into October.

Colour

Clear white with a yellow centre; the flowers are carried in loose clusters at the top.

Roots

Creeping rhizomes: in moist soil the plant gradually spreads and divides easily.

Flowering: September–October · Plants: March–May and September–October · Pruning: March and May

Why grow it?

• Large white daisies from September into October, when most perennials have finished flowering.
• An important late nectar source for bees, butterflies and hoverflies.
• Grows well in moist to wet soil, where many other perennials struggle.
• Tall and elegant, lovely at the back of the border or beside a pond.
• Superb as a cut flower and fully hardy.

Autumn oxeye: where does it grow best?

• Full sun to light partial shade; the sunnier the spot, the richer the flowering, as long as the soil stays moist.
• Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil: loam, clay or peat, acid to chalky.
• Reasonably moist to wet; it dislikes drying out and suits a pond edge or a damp border.
• Space plants 60–80 cm apart, at the back of the border and preferably sheltered from strong wind.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Loam, clay or peat

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

1.6 m tall, 0.8 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Japanese anemone: Flowers at the same time in pink and white, at a lower height.
• Autumn aster: Blue and purple stars beside the white daisies.
• Ornamental grasses: Plumes of moor grass and feather grass give movement.
• Hemp agrimony: Tall and fond of moisture, it flowers in late summer for bees and butterflies.
• Purple coneflower: Warm tones next to the white flowers.

Autumn oxeye: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September–October.

1. Plant between March and May or in September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. Leave 60–80 cm between plants.
5. Water thoroughly straight away and keep the soil moist during the first year.
6. Spread a layer of leaf mould or fine bark around the base to keep the soil moist.

Care

Water

Water regularly in dry spells, especially in the first year and from June to August. It likes moist soil.

Feeding

A spadeful of compost or organic feed in spring. Not too much: it then grows even taller and may flop.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould in spring keeps the soil cool and moist.

Support

Tall stems can bend in the wind. A ring or twigs in May helps, or cut it back in May (see pruning).

Dividing

Divide the clump every three or four years in spring to keep it vigorous and limit its spread.

Tip: Cut the stems back by a third at the end of May: it then stays sturdier and needs no support. Keep the soil moist.

Autumn oxeye: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and May.

When: At the end of May for a sturdier plant, and in March to clear the old stems.

How:

• At the end of May cut all the stems back by a third: the plant becomes more compact, sturdy enough to stand without support, and flowers slightly later.
• In March cut the old, dead stems down to 10 cm above the ground, before the new shoots appear.
• You may leave the spent flowers standing in winter for birds and insects.
• Cut the flowers for a bouquet just after they have fully opened.

Caution: Do not cut it back after early June: it would flower too late or lose its flowers.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or in September: lift the clump, split it into hand-sized pieces with roots and replant straight away. This is the easiest method.

Cuttings

In May–June: take 8–10 cm cuttings from young shoots and root them in moist cutting compost in a bright spot. They root within a few weeks.

Seed

In spring on moist seed compost, lightly covered; the plants usually flower from the second year.

Autumn oxeye: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgian winters.
• Leave the stems standing until spring: they protect the crown and shelter insects.
• In a pot (less suitable because of its height): stand it against a sheltered wall and wrap the pot in hessian.

Diseases and pests

• Flopping: Caused by too much feed, shade or strong wind. Cut back at the end of May, feed less and add support if needed.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially in dry weather. Keep the soil moist, leave space and cut off affected stems.
• Slugs: Young shoots are eaten bare in spring. Collect slugs in the evening.
• Aphids: On young shoots in spring. Ladybirds usually take care of them; otherwise rinse them off with water.

Through the year

• March: Cut old stems back to 10 cm. Divide the clump. Plant.
• April: Plant or move. Give compost. Apply mulch.
• May: Cut stems back by a third. Plant. Watch for slugs.
• June: Growth. Water in dry spells.
• July: Water in dry spells. Check the support.
• August: Water in dry spells. Buds form.
• September: Flowering begins. Plant or divide.
• October: Full flower, bees and hoverflies visit the flowers. Plant.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The species name serotina means ‘late’, after its autumn flowering.
• Leucanthemella means ‘little Leucanthemum’: the plant looks like a tall oxeye daisy.
• The plant used to be classified in the genus Chrysanthemum, which is why you sometimes still find it under that name.