Photo by Sam Fraser-Smith. CC BY 2.0
Latin Name: Borrichia frutescens
Species: Plants
Conservation Status: S4-5 - Secure
Sea ox-eye daisy is a common plant found in the high marsh and is characterized by its yellow flowers. The leaves are green yet silvery and fleshy, similar to a succulent as it must preserve water in the salty marsh habitat. The plant can reach up to 4 feet in height.
Range & Habitat (map)
Sea ox-eye daisy grows in marshes from Maryland to the entire Gulf of Mexico, as far south as the Yucatan Peninsula.
Diet
N/A
Life History
Sea ox-eye daisy is an evergreen perennial that blooms May through September. Spiky, bur-like seed heads will remain on the plant throughout winter, and it can also reproduce vegetatively through the rhizomes (rootlike plant stems).
Significance
Sea ox-eye daisy is one of the plants that characterize the high marsh of the Port Royal Sound because of its ability to tolerate salty conditions through water retention. It is a nectar plant for pollinators, especially butterflies.
Threats & How You Can Help
There are no recognized threats to sea ox-eye daisy in South Carolina, however, it is considered an extirpated endangered plant in Maryland.