How to Grow and Care for Hawkweeds

Fox-and-cubs thrives in sunny, well-drained environments, often found in meadows and grassy areas. Its most striking feature is the vibrant orange-red flower heads that bloom atop slender, hairy stems. The basal leaves form a rosette, are lance-shaped, and covered in fine hairs, which help reduce water loss and deter herbivores. Fox-and-cubs spreads via stolons, enabling it to colonize open spaces effectively.

Mouse-ear hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum) is a member of the daisy family from Europe and northern Asia. It has become invasive in North America, New Zealand, and Australia. Like many of its relatives, mouse-ear hawkweed tolerates heat and humidity quite well in spite of its northern origins.

Fox-and-cubs (Pilosella aurantiaca subsp. aurantiaca) is a low-growing plant with shallow fibrous roots. Fox-and-cubs is an aggressive competitor of pasture grasses and has therefore been named as a noxious weed in many areas.

Meadow hawkweed is a creeping perennial very similar in appearance to Pale Hawkweed (Pilosella floribunda). The two can be distinguished by the hair that meadow hawkweed grows on both sides of its leaves. It is a popular ornamental plant but is considered an invader in many regions because of its rapid growth.

Rattlesnake hawkweed (Pilosella venosa) is a perennial herbaceous wildflower. Yellow, dandelion-type flowers bloom throughout summer. This plant grows best in partial shade and dry, sandy soil. It is considered a noxious weed in some regions of the United States.