The only natural U.S. population of Lakeside daisy; also good summer prairie
wildflowers.
The Lakeside Daisy Preserve encompasses 19 acres of the old limestone quarries
on the Marblehead Peninsula of Lake Erie in Ottawa County.
This preserve was established to protect the only United States population of
the Lakeside daisy, a federally threatened plant species occurring only at two
other sites, both in Ontario Canada. Also a state endangered species, this is
one of Ohio's most spectacular wildflowers.
In early to mid-May, its bright yellow flowers adorn the otherwise bleak,
sun-baked landscape of the Marblehead quarry.
This preserve was named in honor of Colleen Taylor and Ruth Fiscuss who were
very instrumental in the protection of this site as a state nature preserves in
1988. The Division works with LaFarge Corporation to protect the Lakeside daisy
within the active limestone quarry.
In 1988, the Division of Natural Areas and Preserves acquired 19 acres of
abandoned limestone quarry form Standard Slag Company (Lafarge Corporation
purchased Standard Slag in 1989) using State Income Tax Checkoff Funds. Colleen
(Casey) Taylor of Marblehead was instrumental in mobilizing statewide support
for the acquisition and protection of this site.
Lakeside daisy is one of Ohio's most spectacular wildflowers. This long-lived
perennial grows where few others can, on nearly barren limestone bedrock in
full sunlight. In early to mid-May, the bright yellow flowers of the Lakeside
daisy adorn the otherwise bleak, sun-baked landscape of the Marblehead Quarry.
Each basal rosette of leaves usually produces a single 6-11" tall, leafless,
erect stalk topped with a solitary flower.
All individuals within a given population tend to bloom at approximately the
same time, producing the spectacular effect of a golden blanket. All the flower
heads track the sun across the sky in unison. After about a week, the double
notched petals fade before falling.
Seed dispersal takes place about a month later. Lakeside daisy also reproduces
vegetatively by rhizomatous growth. The dense basal tufts of somewhat fleshy,
mostly linear leaves appear stemless; the stem, or rhizome, is at the surface
or slightly underground. It is from this rhizome that new plants emerge.
The Lakeside daisy (Hymenoxys herbacea (E.L.Greene) Cusick) is the rarest of
more than 200 plants currently listed as endangered in Ohio. This distinction
is due to its limited distribution both in Ohio and throughout its geographic
range.
The only natural population of Lakeside daisy in the United States grows on the
Marblehead Peninsula in Ottawa County. In 1988 the lakeside daisy was listed by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Federally Threatened species. The
species has been listed as Endangered in Ohio since 1980.
History provided from ODNR-Division of Natural Area & Preserves website.
