Meadow Hawkweed

Hieracium pratense or caespitosum or Pilosella caespitosa

Stem with yellow flowers and poofy seed head

Photo Credit: Washington State University , Washington State University, Bugwood.org

Roots, long slender leaves and stem with yellow flower

Photo Credit: Tom Heutte, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Plant Description

Creeping perennial. Dense mats of rosettes comprised of hairy, entire-edged leaves that stand up almost vertically; older stems and stolons are brownish and newer ones are whitish. Compact clusters of buds with black glandular hairs that open into up to 30 bright yellow dandelion-like flowers, half-inch in diameter.

Plant Details

Life Forms	Forb
Habitats	Forest openings Meadows Pastures Roadsides
ODA Listing	A
Soil and Moisture Conditions	Low fertility soil
Suggested Actions	Report to Oregon Invasives Hotline
Shade Preference	Full sun Part shade
Mature Height	1-3'
Distribution	Found across North America, Europe, Asia, and New Zealand
Control	Fertilize soil to increase success of desirable pasture species.Hand pull small infestations being sure to remove entire root system; disturbing the stolons, roots, and rhizomes is likely to cause the plant to spread.
Reproduction and Spread	Produce viable windblown seed and scatter to form new infestations; form dense mats and spread
Introduced	Introduced from Europe to North America in the 1800s as an ornamental.
Look Alikes	dandelions; other nonnative yellow flowered hawkweeds- they hybridize and are difficult to tell apart.
Impact	Allelopathic; spread readily and have negative impacts in rangelands and other habitats. Outcompetes other plants for water nutrients and space.
More Info	http://www.misin.msu.edu/facts/detail/?project=&id=356&cname=Meadow%20hawkweed https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/shared/Documents/Publications/Weeds/MeadowHawkweedProfile.pdf https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/27161