How to Grow and Care for Hawksbeard

The smooth hawksbeard is distributed throughout Africa and the Northern Hemisphere. This Crepis capillaris is most often found alongside roadways, in vacant lots, or other neglected areas. The bright yellow flowers attract certain flies and moths, while the seeds can be a food source for some birds.

Holy hawksbeard (Crepis sancta) is a flowering herbaceous annual plant belonging to the daisy family and native to the Mediterranean region. It resembles and sometimes gets mistaken for dandelions, although holy hawksbeard is a taller, more slender plant.

Beaked hawk's-beard, or Crepis vesicaria, is a member of the daisy family native to Europe and naturalized in parts of the United States. This plant produces tall yellow flowers that resemble dandelions. It can be grown as an annual and sometimes a perennial.

Rough hawk's-beard (Crepis biennis) belongs to the aster family and superficially resembles the dandelion. It is found in the northern hemisphere and Africa and has been introduced to many countries. It grows in grasslands, in waste spaces, and on banks. The larvae of some butterfly and moth species eat the plants, and the seeds are eaten by birds.

Italian hawksbeard (Crepis bursifolia), a member of the daisy family, is native to southern Europe and north Africa. It was introduced to California, USA, where it has become naturalized in some areas. It favors damp soil in sunshine or partial shade. The leaves are edible and have been used in salads.