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Hieracium, Genus, umbellatum, Species,

Genus & species

canada hawkweed

Asteraceae North America, Europe, and Asia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Hieracium umbellatum is an upright perennial hawkweed 1-4 feet (30-120 cm) tall, growing from a short rootstock with one or several stiff, leafy stems. The narrow, lance-shaped to linear leaves are 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long, sparsely toothed, stalkless, and spread along the stem rather than forming a basal rosette at flowering. Yellow flower heads, each 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) across and made up entirely of strap-shaped ray florets, are carried in a loose, flat-topped to umbel-like cluster at the top of the stem. It blooms from midsummer into autumn and sets seed in fluffy, wind-dispersed heads like a small dandelion. The plant grows on sandy soils, heaths, dunes, open woodland, and rocky ground across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. It spreads by seed and can colonize bare, poor ground quickly. Broken stems exude a milky white sap typical of the chicory tribe.

Native Range

Hieracium umbellatum is widespread across the Northern Hemisphere, native through North America, Europe, and Asia. It grows on sandy and rocky soils, heaths, dunes, and open woodland.

Suggested Uses

Used in sandy wildflower meadows, dune and heath plantings, and naturalized dry banks, spaced 12-15 inches (30-38 cm) apart. The late-summer flowers draw bees and butterflies in informal plantings. Its self-seeding suits wild settings rather than tidy borders.

How to Identify

Identify it by stiff leafy stems carrying narrow, sparsely toothed, stalkless leaves and a flat-topped cluster of yellow, strap-flowered heads at the top. The leaves spread up the stem rather than forming a basal rosette in flower. The narrow stem leaves and umbel-like flower cluster separate it from rosette-forming hawkweeds such as Hieracium aurantiacum.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 4'

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Flowers: July–September

Summer Fall

Flowering runs from midsummer into autumn, July through September, with several yellow heads opening in succession on each cluster. Each head is made up entirely of ray florets and closes in dull weather. Seed heads of fluffy, parachute-tipped seeds follow and scatter on the wind.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-9 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 7.0 (Acidic to neutral)

3579

Soil Types

sand loam rocky

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun to light shade in light, free-draining, sandy or rocky soil of low fertility. It tolerates drought and poor ground once established and needs little water. Hardy in USDA zones 3-8, it dies back to the rootstock each winter. Plants spread readily by wind-blown seed and can self-sow into open ground, so removing seed heads limits spread. Rich, moist soils produce lax growth and shorten its life. No feeding is needed on lean soils.

Pruning

No routine pruning is needed. Spent flower stems can be cut back after bloom to reduce self-seeding. Old foliage is cleared in late autumn as the plant dies down.

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Related Hieracium species