Rough hawkbit.

At a glance

Care level

Easy

Plant type

Perennial wildflower

Light

Full sun

Indoor light

Direct sun

Water

Every 7 to 14 days

Mature size

12 to 18 inches

Growth rate

Medium

Hardiness

USDA 4 to 8

Bloom time

Late spring to mid summer

Care

This plant prefers full sun and well drained soil to stay happy. Keep an eye out for signs of overcrowding from taller grasses, which might shade it out. It is a tough grower that rarely needs special attention once established.

Watering

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.

Feeding

A light application of balanced fertilizer in early spring is plenty.

Pruning

Remove spent flower stalks to encourage a tidy appearance.

Repotting

Repot only if the plant becomes root bound in its container.

Soil

Well drained, loamy or sandy soil

Soil pH

Neutral to slightly alkaline

Temperature

-25 to 30°C

Humidity

40 to 70%

Safety

People

There are no significant reports of human toxicity, but it is not intended for consumption.

Children

The plant is not known to be dangerous, but children should be discouraged from eating wild plants.

Contact allergens

The bristly hairs on the leaves and stems can cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Airborne allergens

The pollen may cause mild hay fever symptoms in susceptible people during the peak bloom period.

Edibility

While not highly toxic, it is not considered a culinary plant and should be avoided.

How to identify it

• Yellow dandelion like flower heads
• Basal rosette of hairy leaves
• Leafless flowering stems
• Deeply lobed leaf margins

Height

0.1 to 0.4m

Spread

0.15 to 0.3m

Leaves

green, deciduous

Flowers

yellow, 2 to 4cm

Fruit

brown, late summer

Problems to watch for

• Aphids · Small insects that may cluster on the flower stalks.

Growing it

Propagation

seed

When to plant

spring, autumn

Plant in groups of three or more to create a more natural look in a wildflower meadow.

Grows well with

• Common Daisy · They share similar meadow habitat requirements.
• Red Clover · It provides a nice color contrast in naturalistic plantings.

Similar species

• Dandelion · It has a very similar flower appearance.

Science

Family

Asteraceae

Genus

Leontodon

Order

Asterales

Class

Magnoliopsida

Native range

Europe and parts of Western Asia.

Conservation

It is a common species in its native range and is not currently under threat.

It thrives in nutrient poor, well drained soils where it can compete with other low growing meadow plants.

Value to wildlife

nectar source

Pollinators

bees, butterflies

Uses

meadow gardens, pollinator patches, rock gardens

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is this a weed?

It is often considered a wildflower, though it can spread in lawns.

Does it need full sun?

Yes, it prefers bright, open positions to bloom well.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Leontodon comes from the Greek for lion tooth, referring to the leaf shape, while hispidus describes the bristly texture.

Good to know

• The name hispidus refers to the stiff, bristly hairs covering the plant.
• It is often found in old, unimproved grasslands.
• The flowers look like small dandelions.