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Field Hawkweed

Pilosella caespitosa (pil-oh-SEL-uh kess-pi-TOH-suh kess-pi-TOH-suh)

Family: Asteraceae Non-native Herbaceous

Meadow Hawkweed, a flowering plant in the daisy family (Asteraceae) native to Europe that has spread to many parts of North America including NC. It can be found growing in the wild in fields, along roadsides, and in sparse woodlands. For removal, dig or hand pull the plants out ensuring that the rhizomes are also removed. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This weedy plant is unpalatable to mammals and competes with native forage.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 28 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Aegopodium podagraria Hemerocallis fulva Vinca major

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Wildflower
Life cycle
Perennial
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Spreading
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Stems, leaves and bracts have dense, blackish hairs; few if any stem leaves; basal leaves are lance-shaped
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Showy
Flower detail
Yellow, dandelion-like flower heads in tight clusters; 5 to 40 flowers per cluster
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Woodland
Garden tags
#herbaceous #fast growing #high maintenance #aggressive #perennial #herbaceous perennial #weedy
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Weedy
Propagation
Seed

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.