Oxeye daisy: the 'weed' that belongs in your kitchen and medicine cabinet

The oxeye daisy, often considered a nuisance weed in Estonian gardens, has surprising uses in both cooking and home remedies. From facial skin care to jam-making, this common plant is more versatile than most gardeners realize.

For many Estonian gardeners, the oxeye daisy — known locally as kirikakr or margareeta — is little more than an unwanted intruder spreading rapidly through lawns and flower beds. But this stubborn plant, far from being useless, holds a number of practical applications in the kitchen and the home medicine cabinet.

One of the most accessible uses is a facial tonic made from a daisy infusion. Brewed as a simple herbal tea and applied to the skin, the liquid is said to help cleanse acne-prone or blemish-affected faces, offering a gentle, natural alternative to commercial skincare products.

In the kitchen, the flowers can be combined with rhubarb to create a distinctive jam. The mild, slightly bitter flavour of the daisy blossoms complements the tartness of rhubarb, resulting in a preserve that is both unusual and surprisingly pleasant on toast or pastry.

Garden experts point out that embracing useful weeds rather than fighting them can save time and effort while adding value to a household. The oxeye daisy, in particular, is abundant, easy to identify, and costs nothing to harvest — making it one of the more accessible wild ingredients available to anyone with a garden in Estonia.