False Oil beetle on Orange Hawkweed
Photo ©2024
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False Oil beetle on Orange Hawkweed
Photo ©2024
Fox and Cubs - Hieracium aurantiacum
Family - Asteraceae
Also known as - Fox and Cubs
Orange hawkweed is a hardy stoloniferous perennial usually known for its bright orange-red, Dandelion like flowers generally seen from June to September, clustered on tall, hairy stems 15–30cm (6-12") tall. The flowers can range from a deep rust-orange to a pure yellow and often show striking gradients of colour.
It features a basal rosette of green, hairy leaves, thriving in sunny, dry, or poor soil conditions. The "Fox and Cubs" name refers to the large open flower (Fox) surrounded by smaller, unopened, dark-hairy buds (Cubs). The flowers are a rich source of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, pollinating flies and other insects. The stem and leaves are covered with short stiff hairs (trichomes), which are usually blackish in colour.
Leaves are a hairy, low-growing rosette of spoon shaped or lanceolate leaves at the base. Commonly found in grasslands, meadows, rocky areas, and road verges. It spreads quickly by wind dispersed seeds and surface stolons and underground rhizomes. It is often used in wildflower gardens and a ground cover planting in sunny, well-drained spots, though it can become invasive.
Orange Hawkweed is native to alpine regions of central and southern Europe, where it is apparently protected in several regions. It is widely naturalized elsewhere, including other parts of Europe, Great Britain and Ireland, Central Asia, Canada, some states in the USA, Japan and New South Wales where it has been declared as a "State Prohibited Weed". In many places it is considered an invasive species.
 Photo ©2007 Jörg Hempel Click photo for a larger image |
 Photo ©2024 Flobbadob Click photo for a larger image |
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