Hypochaeris radicata, hairy cat's-ear
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Herbaceous

Hypochaeris radicata

hairy cat's-ear

Asteraceae

Europe, western Asia, northern Africa

At a Glance

TypePerennial
HabitClumping
FoliageDeciduous
Height8-24 inches (20-60 cm)
Width6-12 inches (15-30 cm)

Growing Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones

4 - 9
Zone 4
Zone 5
Zone 6
Zone 7
Zone 8
Zone 9
These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.
Frost Tolerancehardy

Key Features

Attracts Pollinators
Drought Tolerant
Maintenancemoderate

Overview

Hypochaeris radicata is a taprooted perennial in the daisy family (Asteraceae) reaching 8–24 inches (20–60 cm) tall with a 6–12 inch (15–30 cm) spread. Plants form a basal rosette of oblanceolate, coarsely lobed leaves 2–8 inches (5–20 cm) long with rounded lobe tips, sparsely to moderately hairy on both surfaces. Flowering scapes are solid, wiry, branching (typically forking 1–3 times), smooth or with scattered hairs, and leafless except for small scale-like bracts at the forks. Flower heads are 1–1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm) across, composed entirely of yellow ligulate florets, resembling dandelion heads. Outer florets are often greenish or reddish on the underside. Fruit is an achene with a feathery (plumose) pappus on a long beak, enabling wind dispersal. A single plant produces 1,000–5,000 seeds. The deep taproot, 6–12 inches (15–30 cm) long, is fleshy and regenerates if broken during pulling. One of the most common lawn and roadside weeds in the Pacific Northwest. Associated with equine stringhalt (a neuromuscular condition) in horses grazing pastures with high H. radicata density in Australia and parts of the Pacific coast.

Native Range

Native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa, occurring in meadows, lawns, roadsides, and waste ground from sea level to approximately 5,000 feet (1,500 m). Widely naturalized across North America, particularly abundant in the Pacific Northwest, where it is one of the most common yellow-flowered lawn weeds.

Suggested Uses

Used in weed identification courses for teaching differentiation among yellow-flowered Asteraceae in lawns (dandelion, cat's-ear, hawk's-beard, hawkweed). The plumose versus simple pappus distinction is a key taxonomic teaching point. Studied in equine veterinary medicine for the association with stringhalt in horses. Included in Asteraceae morphology exercises for ligulate head structure.

How to Identify

Distinguished from Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) by the branching, solid scapes (versus unbranched, hollow scapes), the hairy leaves (versus smooth or sparsely hairy), and the smaller flower heads. Distinguished from Crepis capillaris (smooth hawk's-beard) by the hairy leaves with rounded lobe tips (versus smooth leaves with pointed lobes), the unbranched lower scape (versus leafy branching stems), and the forking pattern at the scape tips. The plumose pappus (feathery, like a dandelion clock but with branched hairs) distinguishes it from Crepis (simple, unbranched pappus hairs).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8" - 2'
Width/Spread6" - 1'

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
SpringSummerFall
Flowers from May through September. Individual heads open for 2–3 days. Branching scapes produce heads sequentially over 10–14 weeks. In the Pacific Northwest, peak flowering occurs in June through August. Seeds mature 2–3 weeks after flowering and disperse by wind via the plumose pappus. Self-pollinating.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Yellow

Foliage Description

Medium green, oblanceolate, coarsely lobed with rounded tips, sparsely to moderately hairy on both surfaces

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Full Sun
Partial Shade
Requires 4-10 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 - 7.5(Neutral)
357912
Soil Types
loamsandsiltclay
Drainage
well drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Hand-pulling is feasible but the deep, fleshy taproot breaks easily, with the upper portion regenerating. Using a dandelion fork or narrow trowel to extract the full taproot from moist soil improves removal success. Mowing at typical lawn heights does not eliminate plants, as the basal rosette persists below mowing level and produces new scapes. Dense turf maintenance, overseeding thin areas, and raising mowing height to 3 inches (8 cm) or above reduce establishment. In pasture settings, the association with equine stringhalt in horses means dense populations in horse pastures require management. Repeated removal over 2–3 years combined with competitive reseeding reduces populations.

Pruning

No pruning applicable. Plants are removed by digging the full taproot. Cutting scapes before seed maturity prevents dispersal but does not eliminate the rosette. In lawn settings, spot-treatment with a dandelion fork is the standard manual approach.

Maintenance Level

moderate

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Non-toxic