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Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Forb/herb
U.S. Nativity	Native to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator
Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate	Slow
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio	Medium
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	No
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	White
Flower Conspicuous	Yes
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Moderate
Foliage Porosity Winter	Porous
Foliage Texture	Coarse
Fruit/Seed Color	Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	No
Growth Form	Single Crown
Growth Rate	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)
Height, Mature (feet)	4
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Short
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	No
Shape and Orientation	Erect
Toxicity	None
Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	None
CaCO3 Tolerance	Low
Cold Stratification Required	No
Drought Tolerance	High
Fertility Requirement	Medium
Fire Tolerance	Medium
Frost Free Days, Minimum	160
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	Low
pH, Minimum	5.6
pH, Maximum	6.8
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum
Precipitation, Minimum	24
Precipitation, Maximum	40
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	10
Salinity Tolerance	None
Shade Tolerance	Intermediate
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-18
Reproduction
Bloom Period	Summer
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	Medium
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	Yes
Propagated by Bare Root	No
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	No
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	No
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	116410
Seed Spread Rate	Slow
Seedling Vigor	Low
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	None
Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	Yes
Fuelwood Product	None
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	Yes
Palatable Browse Animal	Medium
Palatable Graze Animal	Medium
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential	Medium
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

 

Kingdom  Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom  Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision  Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division  Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class  Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass  Asteridae

Order  Asterales

Family  Asteraceae -- Aster family

Genus  Heliopsis Pers. -- heliopsis P

Species  Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet -- smooth oxeye P

Variety  Heliopsis helianthoides (L.) Sweet var. scabra (Dunal) Fern. -- smooth oxeye P

 

Alternate Names

Smooth Oxeye, False Sunflower, Oxeye, Oxeye Daisy, Heliopsis Sunflower

 

Uses

Ethnobotanical: It is reported that American Indians made a tea from this plant as a cure for various lung ailments.

 

Landscaping and Wildlife:  Smooth oxeye is a very hardy plant that produces many attractive, yellow flowers throughout the summer.  It does well in flower gardens, especially in drier areas, and is relatively maintenance free.  It also makes an attractive roadside plant.  Insects are attracted to its bright flowers during the summer, and birds are attracted to its seed in the fall.

 

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

 

Description and Adaptation

Smooth Oxeye is a member of the daisy family, Asteraceae.  It is a vigorous, upright, native, perennial forb growing to .4-2 meters in height.  The stem is smooth while the leaves are coarsely serrated, having rough, siliceous-based hairs on both surfaces.   The stems may be topped with a single, yellow flower, or may branch in to multiple stems with many yellow flowers.  The flowers have 10 or more rays and are 3-7 cm in diameter.  Unlike sunflowers, each ray may form a fruit that yields a viable seed.  The seed is smooth and hard having four sides with fine hairs for wind distribution of seed.  It generally does not have a pappus.  Though it is a perennial, it is often short-lived.

 

Distribution: This species is widely distributed across the eastern half of the United States, though it is most often found in the prairie regions of the central United States.  It prefers dry soil and open spaces, but will also tolerate moist areas.  It can often be found in disturbed areas.

 

Establishment

Smooth Oxeye can be established from seed.  Planting should occur in the spring, between March and April.  Cold, damp stratification for 30 days at 4^o C is suggested to improve germination, but is reportedly not necessary.  The seed may be drilled on 32-40 inch rows at 4.7 pounds per acre or broadcast at 5.2 pounds per acre.  The target rate is 45 PLS/ft when drilled and 15 PLS/ft² when broadcasted. 

 

Management

Smooth Oxeye is a very hardy plant with relatively few problems.  This species has proven to perform best in the 11.8+ cm (4.6 inches +) precipitation zone and moderate levels of N, P, K are desirable.  

 

Pests and Potential Problems

Birds will feed on the seed of Smooth Oxeye in the fall.  This may be of concern to the commercial growers.    Plant size often inhibits cultivation after 8 weeks when planted in rows. 

 

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

‘Midas’ – (Kansas) was released in 1984.  It is adapted to the eastern half of Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma extending into western Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas.  This cultivar is tolerant of dry conditions, though adequate moisture is necessary for proper growth.  Midas is readily available through commercial sources.

Central Iowa Germplasm – (Iowa) was released in 1996.  It is source – identified material that is especially adapted to central Iowa.  It is commercially available.

Northern and Southern Iowa Germplasms – (Iowa) were released in 1997, and are also source - identified materials that are especially adapted to those regions in Iowa.  They are also commercially available.

 

Prepared By & Species Coordinator:

R. Alan Shadow, USDA NRCS Manhattan Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, Kansas

 

Edited: 25jan06 jsp; 060801 jsp

 

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

 

 

 

Attribution:  U.S. Department of Agriculture