Daisy [Bellis perennis]

Pest profile

Description

It is a small perennial plant with a dense leaf rosette and several upright leafless stems, approximately 5 - 15cm long, each bearing a flowerhead of typical daisy-like flowers.

Key features

Young plant: The leaves have bristly hairs.

Biology

Daisy is a potentially perennial, broad-leaved grassland species that may be found in compacted moist soils in arable crops, particularly in field margins. A serious problem in turf grasses, it is seldom weedy in other crops and has some biodiversity value. Plants overwinter with green leaves showing and may even continue growing. Reproduction is mainly vegetative from stolons, although the seeds can germinate over a wide temperature range. The flowers develop very fast in spring and summer. Seeds may be dispersed on feet and vehicles.

Symptoms & Diagnosis

Life Cycle

Seed longevity: 1 - 5 years
Seed weight: 0.125 mg
Seeds/head: 150
Seeds/plant: 1000 - 10 000

Treatment

Management

Daisy does not persist with routine cultivation or hoeing, and is susceptible to cereal and some grassland herbicides.