Hoary Bowlesia (or Hairy Bowlesia) is a native weed in the carrot family (Apiaceae), native to South America and the southeastern and southwestern United States. It is often found in disturbed, shady areas. The plant grows along the ground with flowering shoots that reach up to 10 inches tall. It grows in rocky to loamy, well-drained soils in partial to full shade, often under shrubs or along stream banks. It can become a nuisance in lawns but also benefits by providing early spring forage for small herbivores and bees and the greens are edible. This plant is a low-growing, winter annual that produces pale green clumps or mats in the spring with young plants strongly resembling hairy buttercup with palmately lobed leaves. In late winter to early spring, small inconspicuous flowers appear in the leaf axils Hand pulling and mowing will control self-seeding in lawns. Pre and post-emergent herbicides may be helpful. Alternatively, the plant can be grown in an edible garden or as a winter ground cover. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
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.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
High
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Horizontal
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Obtuse
Leaf margin
Lobed
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves are bright green, opposite, covered in stellate hairs, broader than they are long, rounded to kidney-shaped, and palmately lobed with 3 to 9 main lobes (usually 5). They are on a long stem. Leaves are small, less than an inch long and wide.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower form
Insignificant; Umbel
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
The flowers are tiny/ inconspicuous, have 5 petals, and are borne in the leaf axils.
Bloom time
Spring; Winter
Fruit type
Schizocarp
Fruit size
< 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Seed pods are small and in the axils of the leaves.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The stems are hairy, weak, slender, 5-sided and trailing.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
SW., S. Central U.S.A. to N. Mexico, S. Brazil, S. South America
Distribution
AL , AZ , CA , FL , LA , MS , NM , NV , OK , OR, TX
Wildlife value
Attracts small mammals and bees
Attracts
Bees
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Schizocarp
Edibility
The folliage has a mild taste and can be used in salads or cooked.